Reign of Chaos: Book 3: Extinction
by Sassy Lil Scorpio
Summary: InGen versus Biosyn. Two competitive bioengineering companies. Biosyn has the advantage, but InGen's not going down without a fight. More than ever before, InGen must work together to regain control of Jurassic Park and Isla Nublar. Or else Biosyn will crush them forever. Which company will survive and which company will go extinct? The final installment to the ROC trilogy. AU.
1. Through a Child's Eyes

**Reign of Chaos: Book 3: Extinction**

**A Jurassic Park Fanfiction by Sassy Lil Scorpio**

**Disclaimer: **All names mentioned in this fan-fiction are the creative property of Michael Crichton and Steven Spielberg. No monetary gain is being made from this work. The following characters appeared in Topps Comics: George Lawala in RAPTOR 1 and 2, and RAPTOR ATTACK issue 4; and Sonya Durant and Raúl Lopez are in the RETURN TO JURASSIC PARK series, issues 2-4.

**Summary:** InGen versus Biosyn. Two competitive bioengineering companies. Biosyn has the advantage, but InGen's not going down without a fight. Which company will survive and which company will go extinct? The final installment to the ROC trilogy. -AU-

**Rating:** T or PG-13 for language and situations.

**Author's Notes:** This fanfiction is the third part in a trilogy and takes place in an alternate universe. It follows directly after **Reign of Chaos: Book 2: Biosyn**. If you haven't read the first part and second part, then this part might be confusing. I suggest reading Book 1 and Book 2 to understand what's going on with the story.

Direct quotes from Michael Crichton and song lyrics will be given proper credit as always.

I appreciate those who have taken the time to read and/or review the story so far. And I am especially thankful to my friends for believing in my writing and encouraging me. This story wouldn't have happened without you.

**Dedication:** This story is dedicated to Bob Peck, for playing the role of Robert Muldoon exceptionally well, and for being an amazing person. JP fans will always remember him for bringing this amazing character to life on the big screen.

* * *

_**Extinction: Survival of the Fittest**_

* * *

**Through a Child's Eyes**

_I'm writing this in my sketchbook where no one else can read it except Lex. There are things that only Lex and me talk about because we understand each other. This is one of those times…_

_I will always remember the night when Mr. Muldoon and Mr. Nedry finally returned. It was the night that never wanted to end. I actually thought it would go on forever. Mr. Arnold had caught them on the video monitor and Dr. Harding had to convince him to call the cops, because at first he didn't want to. Mr. Arnold used to stay in the control room for days at a time and it really worried Dr. Malcolm. Everyone was worried, but he was focused on staying there. Dr. Malcolm tried to encourage him, but it didn't work because Mr. Arnold kept smoking and worrying. He would eat with us in the cafeteria and then go off to be alone. Most times he wasn't hungry or he'd make a sandwich and take it to the control room. I wanted to help, but Dr. Malcolm said the best way Lex and me could help was to stay safe, follow the adults' directions, and have fun in the staff lodge. _

_Then Mr. Thorne (who's really Dr. Dodgson) came to the island and promised to solve everything—make it all better. I never liked Mr. Thorne after he ripped my picture and laughed like it was the funniest joke. He always smiles and you can tell he's hiding something. When he first came he pretended to be helpful, but then he started changing things to go his way. He talked about opening Jurassic Park even though my grandfather's company isn't ready to, and he even took over Grandpa's bungalow after Mr. Arnold told everyone not to go inside it. Mr. Arnold and Dr. Malcolm don't like him, but Grandpa's lawyer pays no attention to what they say. Grandpa's sneaky lawyer, Mr. Gennaro, (who I call "Mr. G") is no good. He's a phony who always talks about _**"we'd make so much money if the park was open to the public."**_ Lex says he's a skunk that stinks no matter how good he tries to smell. She calls him a "male gold-digger" and it's true. _

_Mr. G doesn't even care about what happened to Grandpa and that's hurts a lot. At first he pretended to care by going to the hospital and then he stopped altogether. Everyone else cares about what happened to Grandpa and is worried about him. Even Dr. Malcolm, who didn't always get along with him, has shown more concern than Mr. G and that's saying a lot. Lex and me haven't seen Grandpa for the longest time. Last time we did, Mr. G and Dr. Wu let Dr. Dodgson and his two guys into Grandpa's bungalow. That was months ago. It's gotten to the point where Dr. Dodgson doesn't let __anyone__ leave the island. I really miss Grandpa. I keep hoping he'll come back and be the same as he was before the accident, but I'm afraid… _

_I'm making a scrapbook for him of the different dinosaurs in the park with lots of cool information. Dr. Grant helped me start it before he left. He said _**"your grandfather will appreciate this; it will give him good memories of this place he loves so much."**_ I've been working on it by adding my drawings. I want to give it to him next time we visit him (if there is a next time). When I see Grandpa, Lex has to be there too. She can talk to him since he understands her. Just seeing Grandpa's smile again would make things a little better than what they are right now._

_Maybe things will be right again now that Mr. Muldoon is back. He was gone for a long time and then he showed up with Mr. Nedry out of the blue. Everyone was acting crazy about it, but me and Lex were excited to see him again. We're safe when Mr. Muldoon's here.  
_

_Dr. Sattler took me and Lex into the park right after Mr. Arnold called the police. We wanted to see what would happen, but Mr. Arnold and Dr. Sattler weren't trying to hear us. I imagined it'd be like on COPS where the bad guy gets surrounded and arrested by tons of mean-looking grouchy police. I wondered if they would read Mr. Nedry his rights and I was asking Lex about it. She didn't know. She was going to say more when Dr. Sattler gave her this stern look. Then she asked Mr. Arnold if they could go and he told her no. It's my fault because I told her to ask them. _

_I think Lex wanted to give Mr. Muldoon a hug and a kiss on the cheek. She has a crush on him and I keep teasing her about it. Lex always has crushes on older guys. First Dr. Grant, now Mr. Muldoon. When we first met Dr. Grant, she couldn't stop staring at him, and when we visited the triceratops on the park tour, she wouldn't let go of his hand! I couldn't even talk to Dr. Grant about his book because she was all goo-goo eyed and he kept trying to get away from her. That was years ago, and I still tease Lex about it, but when she started on Mr. Muldoon, I couldn't stop making jokes. She knows it's all in good fun. I know the real reason she likes—and respects him: it's because he helped Grandpa that day and he works hard to keep us safe. _

_Mr. Muldoon and Dr. Grant have always been more of a father to us than Dad. The only thing Dad ever did was pick on me for liking dinosaurs and argue with Mom. Lex was always closer to Dad than me, but she doesn't mention him as much as she used to. Dr. Grant and Mr. Muldoon are the opposite of Dad, I'm surprised they aren't fathers. They've protected us, ate meals with us, and always treated us like we actually matter. Dr. Sattler has become like a big sister and even like a mother to us. Lex adores her and goes to the greenhouse so they can spend time together. The park staff have always been nice to Lex and me and we've always did our best to help out, but that night they wouldn't let us stay around. Mr. Arnold and Dr. Sattler were acting like we had no clue about what's going on or that they didn't want us to know._

_We may not say a lot, but we're always listening and watching. Dr. Sattler thought I'd be happy to see the dinosaurs in the park and watch them during the night since I never got a chance to do that. I love the dinosaurs and most times I go with Dr. Harding into the park during the day, but this time I was bored. Even Lex couldn't pretend to enjoy being with Dr. Sattler and that's when she knew we were really upset. So we just drove past the paddocks not saying anything. It was really weird to stay quiet. I didn't want to be disrespectful to Dr. Sattler. I hope she wasn't offended. Lex was worried she was, so she wrote her a letter. That night we kept hoping Dr. Sattler would turn back around and she didn't. When she finally did, it was late. _

_We went back to the visitor center after an hour of complete silence. In the control room Dr. Harding was telling Mr. Arnold and Dr. Malcolm that the cop had arrested Mr. Muldoon and that Mr. G had went with them. Dr. Sattler didn't understand so Dr. Harding told her that Mr. Contreras—I think that's the cop's name—wanted to question Mr. Muldoon and Mr. Muldoon kept refusing. Finally he forced him onto the police boat and Dr. Harding came back to tell everyone. Lex looked angry and like she wanted to cry. Dr. Sattler looked confused and Mr. Arnold looked like he wanted to sleep. Dr. Wu walked in and Dr. Malcolm asked, _**"why did you have a rotten attitude during the whole thing?"**_ That was weird because Dr. Wu is always friendly. _**"It wasn't necessary"**_ he kept saying. Dr. Wu didn't answer, he just smirked as though he were hiding a secret that only he knew about. (I have to write more about Dr. Wu soon before I forget.) _

_Dr. Sattler told Mr. Arnold not to worry anymore, that Mr. Muldoon and Mr. Nedry had finally returned._**"Things will go back to normal, you'll see." **_She kept saying this over and over and I think she was trying to convince herself._ _Dr. Malcolm had this serious look on his face. He always looks like that when things are bad on the island (which is a lot of the time). He said, _**"I'm afraid things are about to get worse."**

_Mr. Thorne walked into the control room with those two creepy guys that never leave his side. Lex calls them Tweedle-Dee and Tweedle-Dum behind their backs. He kept saying _**"mission accomplished."**_ Dr. Wu looked excited like he won a prize at the carnival. Dr. Malcolm shook his head and Mr. Arnold just sat there not saying anything. Dr. Sattler looked angry and Dr. Harding left the room._

_Dr. Sattler asked Mr. Thorne what he meant by __"mission accomplished"__. He didn't answer her, but kept grinning. She got fed up and said, _**"You haven't been straight with us since day one!"**_ Mr. Arnold looked up at the sound of her voice because Dr. Sattler never talks like that to anybody. She looked furious and was pointing at him. If her finger was a gun, she would've shot him dead. Thorne patted her on the cheek and said: _**"do me a favor: stand there, look pretty,** **and shut the fuck up."** _Lex elbowed me so hard that I almost couldn't breath. I didn't know what shocked me more: the way Dr. Sattler confronted him or the way he cursed at her. _

_Dr. Malcolm got in his face, yelling at him, _"**who the hell do you think you are?!"**

_Mr. Thorne said _**"I know who I am; do you know who you are?"**_ It was the weirdest thing. _**"Things are going to change here very soon**_**,**_**"**_ he said. Then he walked out with Tweedle-Dee and Tweedle-Dum. _

_Dr. Sattler was stunned and Mr. Arnold watched him leave. He told Dr. Sattler to take us to the staff lodge. She left Lex and I there. She didn't say when she'd come to get us so we talked about what we thought was going on. Lex said that one time when Mr. Thorne wasn't looking, she snuck into his office—Grandpa's office really. I asked her how she managed to find his papers, because he's very private. _**"****He's secretive Tim, big difference. His real name is Lewis Dodgson and I heard Grandpa talk about him once. He's the reason why Mr. Nedry doesn't work for Grandpa anymore.****"** _She pulled out this folded paper and it was a copy of his driver's license. It was from California. Dodgson, Lewis. It was the same man. He even had the same grin and cold eyes. Then I remembered where I heard the name. I heard Grandpa speak about Lewis Dodgson before and he didn't have anything good to say about him. We sat there talking for a long time about what's going to happen when Mr. Muldoon returns to the island. _

_After awhile we were hungry, so we left the staff lodge and went to the cafeteria in the visitor center. We passed by Mr. Arnold who was leaving the building. I turned around to ask him where he was going but Lex shook her head not to. Mr. Arnold looked angry and didn't seem to be in the mood to talk to anyone. So we went to the cafeteria, and the first thing we saw was a bottle of liquor or vodka next to a shot glass. It was a table in the far corner, and Lex pointed it out to me. Right away we knew it was Mr. Muldoon's since he's the only one on the island who drinks. He tries not to do it in front of us, but we know from overhearing Grandpa and other staff that Mr. Muldoon has a drinking problem. He drinks when he's stressed out. He's still able to get his work done in the park, but it's still not good for him. _

_We stared at the table for a little while, and then Lex went to the kitchen to get us ice cream. Mr. G walked in looking like a wet cat. That's how he looks when he's pissed off, which is most of the time. If Mr. G was back then that meant Mr. Muldoon was around somewhere—we knew that since we saw the bottle and shot glass. I was going to get Lex when Mr. G said to me: _**"he doesn't want to see any of you, so don't pester him."**_ That's why I don't like Mr. G. He won't even listen to what you have to say; he jumps down your throat. He does it to Mr. Arnold all the time and Mr. Arnold just takes it even though Lex and me told him to stand up for himself. Lex came back in with the ice cream. _

**"****Isn't it past your bedtime?"**_ He asked her. _

_Lex is respectful, but she isn't afraid of Mr. G. _**"****We can stay up as late as we like,"**_ she told him._

_He stood there staring at Lex eat ice cream from the container. I was trying hard not to laugh. _**"You think that's funny?" **_He doesn't even ask, he just snaps at you. I nodded and his face reddened like a tomato. _**"Spoiled brats."**_ He thought we didn't hear him, but whatever. He left because he knew he couldn't tell Lex and me what to do. Even if he tried, we wouldn't listen to him. He hates when Lex drives, yells at her not to waste gas, and she still drives anyway, even Dr. Sattler backed us up on that one. I was going to go back and call him an asshole. Lex said not to and left and came back out with two bowls, an ice cream scoop, and a spoon for me. I knew she was eating from the ice cream container just to piss off Mr. G and we had a good laugh about that. I had brought a deck of cards from my room and we started playing spades to avoid talking about everything else. _

_It was almost one o'clock a.m. when Mr. Muldoon finally walked in. Lex and I had played many games: spades, spit, go fish, and 'I Declare War.' We were going to head back to the staff lodge, but we stayed in the cafeteria because Dr. Sattler hadn't come back. There he was and Lex was staring at him like she had never seen him before. Then I saw why: Mr. Muldoon was soaked from head to toe. He must've been outside when the storm started. We had heard the thunder and rain while we were playing cards. Mr. Muldoon looked terrible like he had been kicked in the stomach hard. He sat at the same table with the bottle. He was about to pour the liquor into his shot glass and then stopped, and stared into space. We called out to him, and it took us calling his name five times before he noticed us. He said hi and came over to sit with us. _

_Lex was really happy and tossed her cards on the table. We told him we missed him. Lex got up to hug him, but Mr. Muldoon put up his hands to show her he shouldn't, because he was soaked. We told him again that we're glad he's back. Mr. Muldoon nodded in his serious way and said _**"Thanks, I've missed you too."**_ I saw him holding his hand, there was blood smeared on it. Lex saw it too because she asked him if he needed help. He said he'd be fine. Lex asked him if he wanted to play cards with us. I was about to ask if he could teach us spit again, but he didn't seem to be in the mood. To Lex, he said, _**"No thanks, but I'll watch."**

_So we played spades for the thousandth time (because that's Lex's favorite game). Mr. Arnold came in with Dr. Harding, Dr. Malcolm, and Dr. Sattler. Lex put the cards away and they joined us at the table. Dr. Malcolm sat next to us while Dr. Harding hung back, watching everything. Mr. Arnold and Dr. Sattler looked at each other and then at Mr. Muldoon. They all looked exhausted like they'd grown up six times instead of once. Mr. Muldoon glanced around to make sure nobody was listening to what he was about to say. Then he told us: _**"Stay away from Henry—Dr. Wu. Under no circumstances are you to speak with him. If you need anything, you come to me, Mr. Arnold, Dr. Sattler, Dr. Malcolm, or Dr. Harding."**_ He must've seen how confused we looked because he sighed. Everyone else seemed to avoid adding to what he had already said. Dr. Sattler ran her fingers through her hair and Mr. Arnold lit a cigarette. Dr. Malcolm just sat there and Dr. Harding paced back and forth. Mr. Muldoon asked if Dr. Malcolm or Mr. Arnold wanted to add anything; and they said no. Then Mr. Muldoon said: _**"there's a lot going on that you don't know about."**

_That's when I interrupted him. I told him _**"no disrespect Mr. Muldoon, but Lex and I see and hear things all the time. We know what's going on."**_ I really didn't want to come off rude and then I regretted what I said because he asked if we knew why the staff didn't want us talking to Dr. Wu._ _I couldn't answer his question and Lex elbowed me again, this time to be quiet. _

_Why can't we speak to Dr. Wu? I kept wondering. He's always been nice and friendly. When Mr. Muldoon was missing, Dr. Wu spent lots of time helping Mr. Arnold until Mr. Thorne/Dr. Dodgson arrived. Then he left Mr. Arnold to work with Dr. Malcolm. Other than that, he let Lex and I go into the genetics lab with him as long as we were careful not to make a mess or disturb the eggs. We had to be extra-careful not to contaminate anything. _

**"****Don't go out of your way to talk to him or ask him questions. I know this is shocking and not what you want to hear. ****Just know that you have us, and we're here for you.**** Remember Mr. Nedry was put away because he worked secretly for Biosyn, your grandfather's rival?" **_Mr. Muldoon sounded weird when he asked this. Lex nodded. I just sat there not knowing what to think. Mr. Muldoon was missing for almost two months, no one knew where he was all that time, and now he's back, telling us to stay away from Dr. Wu. Who can you trust? I trust Mr. Muldoon, but the whole thing is upside-down. I wish Dr. Grant was still around because he'd know what to do. He said he'd return soon, but Lex thinks he left the island for good. If Dr. Grant comes back then everything will be perfect, the staff will be complete, and we'll have another person we can talk to. I hope he comes back because it's not the same without him. _

_I blurted out how helpful and nice Dr. Wu is. Why did we have to stay away from him? Mr. Muldoon looked like he had swallowed poison and said: __**"**_**Because he's not the man we thought he was. For your safety and Lex's, you must stay away from him and Dr. Dodgson. He likes to call himself 'Mr. Thorne' but his real name is Lewis Dodgson. He's from Biosyn and he's very dangerous. Dr. Wu is working with him now and we can't trust him."**_ He said it hurt him to speak like this about someone he had known and trusted for years. I didn't know what else to about Dr. Wu, so I just agreed to stay away from him. Mr. Muldoon asked Lex what she would do and she said the same: stay away from Dr. Wu. _**"Good"**_ he said and he left the cafeteria with Mr. Arnold, Dr. Harding, and Dr. Malcolm. _

_Lex and I were alone with Dr. Sattler, who buried her face in her hands. Lex asked if she was alright, she said she was fine. She played cards with us for a little while, but you could tell her heart wasn't in it. After two in the morning, she took us back to the staff lodge and escorted us to our rooms. Before she left us, she reminded us that she's here for us, about what Mr. Muldoon told us, and to do exactly what he said. _

_I went to Lex's room and we stayed up talking about what happened. Why can't we talk to Dr. Wu? Lex wasn't as shocked. _**"He'd been acting weird before Mr. Muldoon came back"** _were her words. I wanted to know how and she explained how he'd be in Grandpa's office talking with Mr. Thorne/Dodgson. _**"He was creepy in the end. He didn't help Mr. Arnold and when anybody mentioned Grandpa to him, he would shrug like he didn't care."** _I asked her if she thought he became as bad as Mr. G. _**"Close, Tim."** _What would we do now? Dr. Grant is in the States, no one knows when he'll come back, Dr. Wu is the enemy, Mr. Nedry's locked up again… I was listing all these things when Lex mentioned Mr. Arnold and Mr. Muldoon. They were good friends, but it must be weird for Mr. Arnold to see him after all this time just like it was weird for us. _

_What about Dr. Dodgson (who probably isn't a doctor) and the way he talked down to Dr. Sattler? Lex shook her head and I could tell she didn't want to talk about it. I had seen how Dr. Dodgson watched Dr. Sattler when he thought she (or anyone else) wasn't looking. He stared at her and watched her whenever she walked and bent down to pick something up. When she spoke, he'd nod his head and go "uh huh" and "yes" but he wasn't really listening to her. Disgusting and disrespectful aren't enough to explain how he treats her. One time Dr. Sattler was making a flower arrangement in the cafeteria and he snuck up behind her and grabbed her waist. He started laughing and Dr. Sattler pried his hands off her. She went off on him and told him to never touch her again. He thought it was funny, the angrier she was, the more he laughed. He had said something to her, I couldn't hear him, but Dr. Sattler's face got red and she stomped out of the cafeteria. I think she slapped him too. I'm glad Dr. Malcolm wasn't there; I don't think he even knew what happened. I told Lex, and she was furious. _

_I was thinking about this when Lex said she was tired and ready to go to sleep. She said I could stay if I wanted, but I decided to go to my room. We'd eat brunch in the afternoon and stick together. So I went back to my room and tried to sleep, but I couldn't. I kept thinking of Mr. Muldoon's eyes when he told Lex and me to stay away from Dr. Wu. Mr. Muldoon is a strong man, but I've never seen him look so weak. It was impossible to put that image out of my mind. I went to sleep after three in the morning and woke up to the sound of someone banging on my door hours later… _

_That very morning everyone was in the cafeteria. Lex was there too, and that's when Grandpa's staff met the Biosyn staff—the people who had been coming to this island and causing all this trouble. They were there smiling and standing next to Dr. Dodgson, and of course, he had the biggest grin. I looked at Grandpa's staff and knew right then they were helpless. There was nothing they could do and when I went to sit with Lex, a lady with dark hair named "Sonya Durant" stopped me and pushed me in the opposite direction. I could say more, but I don't remember everything or maybe it's that I don't __want__ to remember…it was that bad. _

------------

_It's been more than two months since Mr. Muldoon's return. Nothing's the same and I'm glad Grandpa isn't here to see what's happening because it would really hurt him. _

_I still see the pain behind Mr. Muldoon's eyes. He tries to hide it, but it's there, I can feel it. Mr. Arnold looks exhausted all the time and he's always sad._ _Mr. Muldoon and Mr. Arnold are getting into heated arguments. It's like they were never friends. The control room door has been slammed so many times in the past months and it's almost always because of an argument between them. Dr. Malcolm talks to them separately and tries hard to make them get along. If Mr. Muldoon isn't arguing with Mr. Arnold, then he's fighting with Mr. G. I don't mind because Mr. G is an asshole and it's always a good thing when Mr. Muldoon tells him off. Then it's Mr. Arnold's turn to stop their fights, and soon Mr. Muldoon and him start arguing again like one big circle. It's crazy. _

_Dr. Harding is stressed out because the dinosaurs are getting very sick and he doesn't know why. He says it's because Dr. Dodgson and his stupid staff, like Dr. Lopez, insist on changing the animals' diets. When he brings it up, they yell and blame everything on him, even though they're causing the problem. Dr. Dodgson and Dr. Wu get on his case and he's getting more frustrated. _

_Dr. Sattler is numb to everything that's going on. She tries to avoid it, but Mr. Dodgson's lady, Ms. Sonya, won't leave her alone. Ms. Sonya is pushy and doesn't pretend to be nice. She destroyed Dr. Sattler's flowers in the visitor center saying they weren't bright enough. _

_Mr. Dodgson brought in his workers: Mr. Tembo, Mr. Lopez, and Mr. Lawala—I can't stand any of them. Mr. Tembo thinks he's better than Mr. Muldoon and Mr. Lopez is a paleontologist like Dr. Grant, but he's not someone I'd like to talk to. He's sneaky and bullies Grandpa's staff. Mr. Lawala seems nice, but he's on Mr. Dodgson's side, so I keep away from him. _

_Nobody knows what to do and there are no answers. I want to believe Dr. Grant would have the answers to fix everything if he were here, but then I wonder if he's ever coming back. I wish he'd come back, nothing's been the same since he left. Lex feels the same way and says it more than I do. Mr. G goes about his way, and sometimes we think he's on Dr. Dodgson's side, it's hard to tell with him. Dr. Sattler goes to her greenhouse and takes Lex when she's able to, but other times she's nowhere to be found. Dr. Malcolm is doing his best to keep us going. Mr. Arnold and Mr. Muldoon keep getting into stupid fights and Dr. Harding is exhausted from Dr. Dodgson's staff overworking him. We don't know when we'll see Grandpa again, if it it's even possible now. Dr. Wu is no longer a friend to confide in. He smiles at Lex and me, but doesn't make any move to talk to us. Lex and me, we only have each other. I don't know what I'd do if she wasn't here. _

_I keep remembering that night in the control room when Dr. Malcolm said things were going to get worse and they did. They really did… _


	2. Lies

**Lies**

"_People will find out who you truly are. You can pretend, but we both know._"

"_They might find out…then again, I'm not the one wearing the handcuffs._"

A heavy beat of silence and then Dennis Nedry had responded to him:

"_For now._"

"Only time will tell," Henry Wu repeated the comeback he had wanted to say.

He had come close to saying it that night more than three months ago; but in the end, he slipped back into his reserved and quiet persona, or at least, he tried to. By then it was too late. Everyone had seen his new aggressive attitude. He couldn't hold it in any longer. He couldn't take it back, and when he thought about it, Wu didn't want to. He found his new self to be liberating. In the past months, that humbled and reserved persona had been shed like a snake ridding itself of extra skin, abandoned, never to be touched again.

People would find out who he really was, Nedry had threatened._ People found out, but who the hell cares? _Wu thought smugly._ I'm right here on Isla Nublar and still the chief geneticist for International Genetics and ten times the spy you thought you were. You thought you were the best at outwitting John and everyone in InGen—but I pulled one better. I shocked the life out of them. No one believed you that night in John's bungalow. No one ever saw it coming. You, on the other hand…_a cold shrug from Wu_…you're locked up. Me? I'm free. Free to do whatever the hell I wish. _

These thoughts usually ran through Wu's mind, ever since the entire InGen staff had found out his true alliance. Before that moment, Muldoon had heard only the last words of his conversation with Nedry: "_For now_." At the time, he didn't know what Nedry had meant. Later on, Muldoon had received an even bigger surprise and nothing had been the same since. Wu was a complete stranger now to everyone on the island. He still saw himself as a genius geneticist, and more importantly, as a tougher man. If they didn't like the new Henry Wu, that was their problem.

"Things change. Lives change. People change," Wu said aloud to himself.

Everything was different now, but it wasn't a bad thing. Things were looking up for him. His world was expanding before him, whereas before, under Hammond's employment, it was tiny and microscopic. It was a welcoming change and Wu had no reservations about showing how thrilled he was to be working for his new employer: Lewis Dodgson of the Biosyn Corporation.

Presently, Wu was in his living quarters at the staff lodge, preparing for his meeting with Dodgson. They had many matters to discuss. For example, the new species that Hammond wanted to clone. The sixteenth species projected seemed like a distant memory to Wu. It was a lifetime ago when Hammond first brought up the idea in a conference meeting and invited feedback from Alan Grant, Ellie Sattler, and Ian Malcolm. The project had come to a halt after Hammond's hospitalization. _At least with Lew, we can go further with the project, _Wu thought. Other topics of discussion included the park's opening date, what role he would play in expanding Biosyn's bioengineering reputation, and how his career would soar—now that he had employed himself under the right company.

He narrowed his eyes as he stared at his reflection in the mirror. Wu's eyes were obsidian, black and cold. His skin had a pallid appearance and he tended to ball his hands into tight fists. His outward appearance seemed to reflect his new cold persona. Wu put on his white lab coat that displayed the blue and white InGen logo. Despite his new alliance, he still wore it. It was just a stupid white lab coat with the company's logo. Nothing special. It didn't scream out to the world that he was a brilliant geneticist or that he was the genius behind Jurassic Park who had discovered how to resurrect dinosaurs. If his lab coat did that for him, he would wear it to public events, to malls and stadiums, and to colleges and universities. He would never take it off or part with it. Wu smiled sadly at the impossible wish of his lab coat bringing him the fame he believed he rightfully deserved.

Of course, Harding would say something about it. Usually the quietest one on the park staff, Harding had become vocal about his feelings towards Wu's betrayal. Arnold avoided Wu as if he were infected with a contagious disease. Ellie was still in a state of shock. Malcolm ran his mouth like always. Nothing-is-predictable-everything-is-beyond-our-control-we-exist-in-a-permanent-state-of-chaos mumbo jumbo.

Wu was glad he didn't have to be associated with InGen anymore—especially Muldoon. Muldoon was always silent around him. Wu viewed Muldoon the same way Hammond had viewed him before his accident—he was a chronic complainer and a drunk to top it off. _Keep your stupid opinions to yourself. I don't have to hear you bitch about the tyrannosaurs. First raptors, now tyrannosaurs. _

Despite his distance from the InGen staff—and the fact that he preferred it this way—Wu didn't see why they made a big deal about his decision. Although they were obviously burned from his betrayal, Wu figured if they saw it through his eyes, then they would understand. Besides, he still helped out on the island. It wasn't in the way the InGen staff preferred, but he was still a part of the team that ran the island. He just wasn't so…_friendly_ anymore.

Wu grinned as he added one last thing. He attached his InGen identification badge to his lab coat. The man smiling in the picture was a different Henry Wu. _I had been naïve back then, but not anymore, _he thought has he faced himself again in the mirror. He smiled at the cold and hardened version of himself, satisfied with what he saw. The badge was slightly crooked and Wu adjusted it so that it was straight and neat. Now he was ready to begin another day of work on the island. He looked forward to it with a newfound greed that unsettled everyone except himself...and Biosyn.

**oOo**

The InGen staff was not alone in experiencing shock about Henry Wu's betrayal. In fact, their corporate enemies from Biosyn felt the same way. Of course, no one under Dodgson's command—Raúl Lopez, Sonya Durant, Roland Tembo, and George Lawala—openly expressed their feelings about it, especially not to their leader. If they were for or against the newly hired Wu, they kept it amongst themselves. Even Howard King and George Baselton had little to say about it, even though there were rumors among the Biosyn team that they had known all along about Wu turning against InGen to work for Biosyn. Regardless of who knew or didn't know, they knew for certain that you didn't go against Dodgson. That was strictly out of the question—it wasn't an option. Everyone knew it was foolish (and useless) to outright disagree with anything he said. Dodgson would treat their differing opinions as treason and deserving of execution.

So they said nothing.

They watched Wu acclimate himself to the team and get comfortable as if he had been there from the beginning like Nedry. And Wu was a lot different than Nedry. His background in genetics fascinated Lopez and Dodgson, but boggled Sonya. Lawala and Tembo were indifferent to him. Still, Wu was a welcome and much needed change on the team. He didn't talk a lot—at least, not to them. He mostly spoke with Dodgson. Wu started to speak to them little by little and finally three months after Nedry's and Muldoon's return, they started warming up to him. The first, naturally, was Lopez.

"So you tinker with genetics," Lopez said as Wu sat down across from him in the cafeteria.

"I don't tinker with it. I master it." He glanced at his wristwatch—he was due to meet Dodgson in an hour.

"What made you decide to go into the field?"

"I wanted to do research that I could publish."

"Research that could make you famous?" Lopez asked.

"That's the gist of it. I see no reason to hide it."

"You shouldn't. Most people in the scientific community do research in the hopes that their hard work will pay off in some form. Like seeing your name in a textbook or an Internet journal."

"Or winning the Nobel Prize."

"Some corny stuff like that," Lopez said and noticed Wu's eyes darken. "Hey, don't get angry, just messin'. You joined the right team. I can't thank you enough."

Wu squinted at him. "For what?"

"For this place. I get to work with the real thing now and not just bones. You don't know how much it means to see what you've studied for years come to life in front of your eyes."

"Actually, I _do_ know how much it means."

"I'm just saying that I really appreciate it. As a paleontologist who's studied fossils for so long, it's refreshing to see the real thing come to life." Lopez didn't skip a beat when he mentioned "the real thing". He was well aware of the fact that the dinosaurs in Jurassic Park were engineered (since Sonya kept reminding him), making them artificial, even on a small scale. It didn't make a difference—engineered or not, he could study a live dinosaur, and that's what mattered to him. "You've done wonders for this place."

"I know I have."

This time Lopez ignored Wu's snippy tone. "Dodgson's going to help you out."

"He already has." Wu got up with his plate and dumped his leftovers in the garbage. Without saying good-bye, he left the cafeteria to find Dodgson.

Lopez watched him leave, astounded by Wu's abruptness. He thought of Wu and how Dodgson had convinced him to work for Biosyn right under everyone's noses. The team was still adjusting to Wu. Despite his aloofness, Lopez actually liked Wu. His gratitude and respect was sincere. Wu had made his dreams come true—and every paleontologist's and dinosaur enthusiast's dreams for that matter. Now Lopez studied real dinosaurs in the park—whether the InGen staff liked it or not. _He has every right to be proud,_ Lopez thought. Sonya, Lawala, and Tembo entered the cafeteria and joined him.

"What's going on with you guys?" Lopez asked.

"Just the usual," Lawala said. "Guarding our inmates—another words, making sure the InGen staff is doing their jobs."

"Any plans for today?"

"I was going to talk with Dodgson about the tyrannosaurs, but his time is occupied with that fledgling," Tembo grumbled.

Lopez set his fork down. "He's a great addition to the team and he's more useful to us than Dennis ever was. Besides, if it weren't for him, this park wouldn't—"

"Wouldn't exist. We know, Raúl," Sonya said, rolling her eyes. "We hear it all the time from you. Give it a rest."

Lopez stared at her, irritated by her nonchalant attitude. "Of all people, I thought you would understand, Sonya. You know how much this means to me—being able to stroll through those gates and see the dinosaurs."

"Of course, I know. It's all you ever talk about."

"Don't any of you appreciate Dr. Wu's accomplishments? Don't you realize the magnitude?"

"We do, we're just not obsessed with it like you are," Tembo said. "So he cloned them. Now what? I want to hunt a T-Rex—I couldn't care less about genetics."

"I'm not gung ho genetics about either—"

"Yes, you are. You wish you did it," Sonya interrupted. "You're a brown-noser when it comes to Henry."

Lopez ignored her. "It's not my field, but I'll be damned if I'm not amazed at the results of his hard work."

"So stop drooling on the table and get out there in that park." Tembo grinned smugly. "It's ours now and there's not a blasted thing InGen can do about it."

In that assertion, Tembo was correct and everyone on Isla Nublar knew it. The Biosyn team helped themselves into the park and genetics lab—anywhere on the island and whenever they wanted. The InGen team posed no threat—they had been taken over and there was little they could do now. From the moment Dodgson made himself known to the InGen staff, he had made immediate changes. The dinosaurs' diets had been drastically changed and the InGen staff had to work seven days a week. There were no more weekend breaks and if anyone complained, Dodgson would pile on an impossible load of work in addition to their usual tasks.

"Everyday their morale lessens," Tembo said. "It won't be long before InGen's a thing of the past. Biosyn's logo will be plastered everywhere."

Lopez stood up from the table. "You're right. Thank God for little InGen turncoats like Henry—they make it possible, right Roland?"

"Absolutely."

**oOo**

"Come in," Dodgson said, not looking up from the papers he was skimming through, "and shut the door."

Wu poked his head out to make sure nobody from InGen was nearby. He wanted to meet with Dodgson without them snooping around. Not that they would interrupt. If anyone on the InGen staff even thought about barging in, the Biosyn staff would take care of them. Wu closed the door and took a seat across from Dodgson, who sat behind Hammond's desk in his revolving chair. Dodgson appeared confident as if he, and not Hammond, were the owner of the company and office. Wu recalled many meetings with Hammond in this very room. Instead of feeling guilty, he felt exhilarated. He was off to a brand new start with Biosyn and working with someone who felt as passionately as he did about genetics.

Dodgson stacked the papers into a neat pile and removed his tinted glasses. He set them on the desk next to the stack of papers. "Good afternoon, Henry. Do you prefer to be called Henry or Hank?"

Wu shrugged. "Doesn't matter to me."

"'Hank' it is then. It has a much stronger ring to it, don't you agree?" Dodgson grinned. "Strength is important in all aspects of your life and work. You use it to beat out the competition. If you're strong enough, you can take over the world."

"Agreed."

"Now that we've got that settled, Hank…let me say that I've been looking forward to our meetings with you about your place on the team and what's in store for you now that you've joined Biosyn. But first…how are you getting along with the team?"

Wu thought about that question before he answered. He wasn't best friends with them by any means, but he figured as time went on, he would develop a bond with them. Then again, he wouldn't be shocked if he remained an outsider. Tembo still kept him at a distance as if he were feeling out Wu's true allegiance. Sonya was a flirt, but Wu wasn't fooled by her charm. Despite her good looks, Wu sensed she had a vicious streak. Lawala was quiet and observant. When Wu first saw him, he tried to recall his name. Then he remembered Grant's and Ellie's confrontation with Lawala. Wu had trouble picturing Lawala as someone who would assault them, or anyone for that matter. Lopez acted as if Wu could walk on water. He was the only Biosyn employee who went out of his way to be friendly to Wu.

"It's getting there," Wu finally said. "Raúl and I have a good rapport."

Dodgson nodded. "He really admires your accomplishments, you know? And why shouldn't he? You've done something so monumental, Hank, that it defies words. It's a shame that John wasn't ready to advertise your achievements to the world."

"I know," Wu said darkly. "I'm glad Raúl appreciates it, but I want others to know about it."

"And they will. I promise you everyone will know. You can count on it. What's the sense of working to make a dream come true if you can't show off the results? It's like a chef cooking a delicious soup and instead of selling his recipe so that he can make money; he keeps it in the dark where no one can taste it. Now tell me, does that make sense?"

"It doesn't." Wu shook his head.

Dodgson said nothing. He stared straight ahead, his eyes focused on Wu's lab coat and honed in on Wu's InGen badge.

Wu noticed that Dodgson hadn't responded, and instead, he was stared intensely at his ID badge. Or rather, he was _glaring_ at it. Wu had a strange feeling that Dodgson was going to demand to know why he still wore their corporate enemy's logo. He flustered inwardly, trying to figure out a halfway decent response. _I didn't realize I had put it on this morning. Old habits die hard. It's because I still work here. _All were lame excuses and Wu knew Dodgson wouldn't fall for any of them. Wu was about to take off the badge and shove it in his lab coat pocket when Dodgson perked up and abruptly changed the topic.

"Did I ever tell you about my vaccine experiment with rabies? I did it in Chile several years ago."

Wu shook his head again, this time in total confusion. He_ had_ heard something about it awhile back—an experiment where Chilean peasant farmers had been exposed to an airborne version of the rabies virus. It was dangerous and unethical, but Dodgson spoke about it as if he had accomplished an astonishing feat akin to Wu's success in engineering dinosaurs. "You were responsible for that?" he asked, in half-disgust and half-awe.

"Absolutely. We didn't even warn the people, we just released it to see how it would go," Dodgson nodded, remembering the experiment that was in actuality, criminally negligent. "The virus was encased in a carry-on bag on a commercial flight before we reached Chile. Now imagine if it had gotten out—pure pandemonium!"

"You sound excited." Wu hoped his tone sounded neutral.

"It was very exciting, Hank. Risky business—that's what working for Biosyn is all about. Taking risks, even the most dangerous ones. That's what life is all about. Don't you agree?"

Wu thought for a moment. Before he could answer, Dodgson continued:

"Look at this park, this entire island. It's all one fat risk."

"It is," Wu agreed.

"That's what working for me and working for Biosyn is all about, taking risks."

"Even life-threatening ones?"

"It's not about life-threatening risks. Try not to see it like that. It's about staying on your toes and being ready for anything." Dodgson paused and glanced around the room. "You know, it's dark in this office. Why don't we go for a walk in the park? See how the rest of the staff is doing. How does that sound?"

"Sounds great, I'm up for anything." Wu blinked when he realized he had nearly repeated what Dodgson just said.

Dodgson stood up and walked around the desk. A smug grin was plastered across his face. He held the door open for Wu, who went out first.

"That's the main reason I hired you for Biosyn. If you're up for anything, then you run the chance of reaping success."

**oOo**

"It's great to be out of that dreary office. I don't know how John Hammond can stand it, but then again, I'm not him," Dodgson said as he strolled down the dirt road.

Hands in his pockets, Wu walked beside him, still wearing his white lab coat and InGen badge. It was a bright and clear day on the island, the perfect day for the maintenance crew to run their errands in the park with Muldoon and Harding. Wu hoped they wouldn't run into them. He preferred to speak to them and anyone from InGen, only when absolutely necessary. Too much tension existed between them now.

"You know, I'm doing most of the talking," Dodgson said. "I'd like to hear more from you."

They stopped in front of the dilophosaur paddock. The dilophosaurs moved in and out of the thick green foliage and hooted at their visitors. Dodgson watched them and then looked at Wu, waiting to hear from him.

"I appreciate the opportunity that's been given to me," Wu said, "and I'm looking for a challenge aside from cloning another species. I've done all that before; I want more than just that. If I'm going to clone, then I want to be known. Bottom-line is InGen ran out of challenges for me which wasn't good because I get bored quickly."

"That's a trait I admire, a mind always at work, figuring things out and thinking problems through. Working for Biosyn, you may do assignments that put everything you have to the test—your talents and abilities. In all the years I've worked for the company; I've never grown bored. Antsy? Yes. Impatient? Many times. But never bored. I thrive on new challenges."

"So do I. When Hammond recruited me—" The rumbling of a nearby vehicle interrupted Wu. He turned around and a wave of annoyance swept over him when he saw who was in the gas-powered jeep.

Robert Muldoon and Gerry Harding. Definitely not the people he wanted to see. They pulled the jeep ten feet away from where Dodgson and Wu stood. Wu opened his mouth to say something, but Dodgson put a hand on his shoulder.

"Let me handle this," he said.

Dodgson walked to the jeep while Wu watched, detached. Harding glanced at him and Muldoon sent a cold glare in his direction. After that night at the raptor pen, Muldoon hadn't spoken a word to Wu. They would run into each other occasionally in the visitor center or staff lodge and an air of friction was always present.

"What are you two doing out here?" Dodgson asked. He turned to Muldoon. "When are you going to check the tyrannosaurs with Roland? They're circling near the fences again."

"That's to be expected," Muldoon said icily.

"You're the game warden of this island. You better do something about it, if you want to keep your damn job. If not, I have someone ready to take your place."

Wu saw Muldoon's hands clench into tight fists at the mention of someone taking his place. He knew who Dodgson referred to: Roland Tembo. When Wu first met the Biosyn team, Tembo had made no effort to hide what he really wanted on Isla Nublar—a chance to hunt down a tyrannosaur in its paddock—and Muldoon's job as game warden of Jurassic Park.

Dodgson spoke to them for several minutes while Wu looked on. Harding stared at Wu the entire time, and Wu made no indication that he saw him. Muldoon talked in a hushed voice. Some of his words sounded slurred. _Drinking on the job again, Robert?_ Wu thought, a smug grin spreading across his face. _That's a big no-no in Dodgson's book. Roland's getting closer to snatching your job. I can't wait to see him take it from you._

"I don't give a fuck how you do it," Dodgson was saying. "Get it done before the end of today—and make sure you do your job right!"

Wu loved to see Dodgson put the InGen staff in line. He had no problem expressing his anger and Wu admired that about him. Muldoon turned in Wu's direction briefly and Dodgson snapped his fingers in front of him to get his attention. Muldoon said nothing, but the scowl on his face revealed his intense hatred towards Dodgson. The one-sided conversation continued for a few minutes and then they drove off down the road leaving Wu and Dodgson standing in front of the paddock. Dodgson went back to Wu, shaking his head. He resumed his conversation with Wu as if there had been no interruptions.

"They're doomed to mediocrity," he said watching their jeep drive down the road. "And that's fine, if that's what they want—but who really wants to live life halfway?"

"They do, apparently." Wu glared in jeep's direction. "They don't understand my decision."

"They never will," Dodgson said sympathetically. "In the end, it doesn't matter what they think. Look, you've spent so much time—literally years—wondering what Hammond thought of your efforts and it didn't get you anywhere."

"It didn't, but that's in the past. I prefer to look to the future."

"You have a bright future ahead of you." Dodgson smiled. "That's so cliché." He pointed inside the paddock. The dilophosaurs had gathered together by the jungle river. "Did I ever thank you for those amazing photos you sent me? The team, especially Lopez, was blown away by them."

Wu winked. "You never did, but it's good to know it wasn't a waste."

"Not a waste at all."

**oOo**

"I value loyalty—as a matter fact, I'm a total stickler for it. If there's one thing I can't stand, it's a traitor. When I spend my valuable time and effort into cultivating an individual, I demand loyalty. That might sound selfish to others, but you know what? I learned long ago: fuck what others think. You have to go for the gold and not settle for the silver and bronze in life."

Dodgson leaned across Hammond's table and watched Wu's expression closely. They were in Hammond's office again with the air conditioner on full blast. In Hammond's office they wouldn't be rudely interrupted.

Wu smiled, but it looked more like a sneer. "It's expecting the best from someone and trusting they won't turn and run at the drop of a hat."

"Precisely, Hank! I expect powerful results when I take a person, such as you, under my wings." Dodgson rammed his right clenched fist into his open left palm like a coach demonstrating to his team. "Do you feel that?"

Wu nodded eagerly, following Dodgson's every word.

"Let's take you for example. You were unhappy in life because you settled for the bronze and silver. I hired you and I know exactly what you need to thrive in this competitive field. I plan to utilize all my resources to make you gold. Literally and figuratively."

"You don't want your efforts to be wasted. Squandered."

"Exactly. I promise you, you'll get the fame you deserve. You'll be recognized in scientific journals, be a guest on talk shows, interviewed over the radio, and get featured on international news. You'll be all over the world. From Hong Kong to Egypt to Denmark to Peru—everyone will know who Henry Wu is. Your name will become a household name."

Wu titled his head in thought. Last time he had been promised recognition, it didn't happen. "Dr. Dodgson, I've heard it all before."

The skeptical note in his voice caught Dodgson's attention.

"This isn't an empty promise. I've helped many people in your predicament…ask Howard. Have you spoken to him?"

"I have and I know what you've done to boost his career. I'm talking about _me_."

Dodgson nodded. "I can get you anything you want, Hank. No sweat. There is just one thing I ask for in return."

Wu studied Dodgson across the table from him. He had a feeling he didn't like what he was about to hear. Something about Dodgson didn't ring a happy tune with him—especially the earlier part about him detesting betrayal. Wu understood why Dodgson felt that way, after all, nobody likes a backstabber. Then again, Dodgson had acquired both Nedry and Wu under his payroll when both men betrayed InGen to jump ship to Biosyn. Wu was well aware of this irony...or perhaps the better word was _hypocrisy_.

Yet he wanted his name out there.

It wasn't a lot to ask for. He had paid his dues over and over again and now he wanted to see his hard-earned and long overdue reward. Lewis Dodgson promised he'd own the world—he didn't say how he would be able to do this, but by now Wu was going on blind faith. Could he take on whatever tasks that Dodgson expected of him? _Yes I can, _Wu thought. _For a taste of fame, I can—and would do—Anything. _

"What is this 'one thing'?" Wu finally asked, breaking the heavy silence.

"I expect one hundred percent loyalty and dedication from you."

He took off his tinted shades, wiped them on his jacket, and slipped them on his face again with ease. When he spoke again, his voice was dangerously low and Wu had to listen carefully to hear him.

"Betrayal…I despise it. I help people, Hank. I take them to places where they want to go and where they've never been before. I spend time and money—both are valuable and irreplaceable—in cultivating individuals who expect better in life, who deserve a lot more reward for the ridiculous amount of work they put in. Individuals who've received the short end of the stick for far too long. You follow me?"

Wu sat back in his chair, his expression neutral.

"And when that person I've helped turns their back on me…the consequences aren't pretty…I'd rather you not experience them firsthand…"

Wu said nothing. Dodgson waited and then opened a drawer. He brought out a paper and held it up for Wu to see. Wu saw Nedry's full name scribbled at the bottom. Before he could finish reading the paper, Dodgson ripped it in half.

"This is or _was _a binding contract until the person decided to break it. You see, Hank, you can't have a conscience when you work for me, otherwise you'll get weak and want to back out of my employment which I won't tolerate. Ask Dennis, he knows." Dodgson laughed coldly. "Who would've thought the slob had a conscience." He crumpled the paper into a ball and threw it at the wall, and then refocused his attention on Wu. "A little guilt goes a long way with getting on my bad side."

Wu swallowed and opened his mouth to speak, and then immediately closed up again.

"I have an assignment for you to prove your loyalty to me—to Biosyn."

"What do you want me to do?" Wu's voice wavered, although he tried to sound firm.

"You'll see. I need you to act when I tell you to. You don't have time to think things over when you work for me."

Wu's eyebrows rose at Dodgson's change of words. Dodgson used to say "work_ with _me"as opposed to "work _for _me". They had two entirely different meanings. "With" implied equal status, whereas "for" inferred power over the other. Wu thought he was overanalyzing like Malcolm, but the change was clear enough for him to realize for the first time that he was getting into something he might regret later on.

"You need to think about what I'm saying. I'm dead serious about this, and you can ask the rest of the team if you have questions or doubts." Dodgson paused and then a bright grin lit up his face in complete contrast to the harsh tone in his voice. "I don't think we'll run into that problem with you. You seem to have an open mind about this company. Trust me, Hank, you'll go further than you ever imagined."

**oOo**

Forty minutes had passed since the time Wu had left Dodgson in Hammond's office. During that time, Dodgson reflected on what they had discussed. Or rather, what _Dodgson_ had discussed since he had dominated the conversation. He even threw in the Chilean experiment just to see how his reaction. Wu was silent, taking everything in.

It was clear to Dodgson that Wu still questioned where he stood now. He hadn't solved his his inner conflict about his decision to leave InGen for Bioysn. Wu still wore his InGen identification badge and lab coat with the company logo. Dodgson didn't want to confront Wu on his ambivalent feelings. It would make Wu want to prove his loyalty to Dodgson and there were other ways for him to do that. On the outside, Wu projected a different image. In front of the Biosyn team, he was aloof, but wanted to fit in. In front of InGen, he expressed scorn towards his former colleagues and rejected them. For those reasons, Dodgson decided it was time they had a heart-to-heart from geneticist-to-geneticist, so that he could draw out where Wu was coming from. As usual, Dodgson was on the mark. He knew it, but he wanted to hear it from Wu's mouth:

Fame.

_If I'm going to clone, I want to be known._ Henry Wu craved worldwide fame and recognition for his achievements.

_Nothing wrong with that,_ Dodgson thought, _but he'll have to pay his dues first before I do_ _anything for him._ In a way, he had paid them already. He had turned his back completely on InGen even before they had suspected a thing. Wu had sent him the photos of the dilophosaurs and told Dodgson about the sixteenth species project. It was Wu who had leaked information to the Costa Rican officials about Lawala's accident. He had once told Dodgson over the phone about Hammond's reaction to it. Dodgson had a good laugh that night. Hammond talked as though he owned Isla Nublar. _What a_ _joke. If he only knew,_ Dodgson thought. _Your time is up, old man, and I have your former employee, Dennis, to thank for that._ Wu had even managed to get Hammond off the island so that the Biosyn team could perform their insane heists. Wu had done a lot for Dodgson—he was the epitome of an employee who went over and beyond.

Dodgson knew exactly how Wu could demonstrate his loyalty. He had brainstormed ideas during their meeting. It would come at Nedry's expense, but so be it. Nedry had to learn the hard way that he couldn't get away with betraying Dodgson. The loyalty speech had spooked Wu. He swallowed it whole, yet, he hadn't voiced anything about it. Still, Dodgson could tell that Wu was ready to fully commit to Biosyn and this pleased him. Wu was a much better and valuable InGen acquisition than Nedry had ever been. _I should've hired him first. _Wu was an expert in the field of genetics, and he had inside knowledge of how InGen resurrected dinosaurs from the dead using preserved DNA. Yes, Wu was perfect and now that he was aligned with Dodgson, things would definitely look up for Biosyn. And InGen? Dodgson grinned.

_Crush the competition._

**oOo**

Later that evening, Dodgson sent out a memo for a mandatory meeting. King delivered it to everyone. All park staff was required to attend. This included both Biosyn and InGen staff.

"Things are going to change around here," Dodgson said. As if they hadn't already…

He skimmed the audience in the cafeteria. His staff sat at one table together. Wu sat next to Lopez. Both men were talking quietly amongst themselves. Wu actually looked upbeat. _Good,_ Dodgson thought. _He's getting better aquatinted with his co-workers._ At another table, Malcolm sat with Ellie. Beside them, Muldoon sat between Arnold and Harding. Tim and Lex were somewhere, probably in the staff lodge.

Dodgson didn't care. _At least the whiny brats aren't in my face._ He had thought of offing Tim and Lex—two less mouths to feed, two less people to worry about on the island. Other times, Dodgson considered getting rid of the entire InGen staff. It would give Biosyn complete control of the island, and they wouldn't have to worry about InGen interfering with their future plans. On the other hand, Dodgson loved rubbing it in InGen's face that he was in control now. It was far more enjoyable to push them to their breaking point, allow his staff to bully the InGen employees, and watch them squabble amongst each other. As long as they continued to fight, Dodgson used it to his advantage.

King passed out the meeting's agenda.

"I'm going to make this quick," Dodgson started. "We run an extraordinary zoo on Isla Nublar and it's important that we make sure our residents stay in tip-top shape. So, in addition to the morning and afternoon drive-through that you two already do," he pointed at Muldoon and Harding, "I'm adding an evening drive-through. Any questions?" _There better be none._

"When does this 'change' go into effect?" Muldoon asked.

Dodgson stared at him, anger simmering beneath the surface. Muldoon was intriguing and a tough man to break. _I relish a challenge. You're quite the challenge, aren't you Muldoon? _He could've asked this aloud, but he had something better planned for him.

"When does this go into effect?" Dodgson repeated his question to make sure he had heard it right.

"That's what I asked. An answer is in order." Muldoon's stabbing glare matched his tone.

Tembo stood up and pointed at him. "For you, an attitude adjustment is in order."

Muldoon glanced in his direction, but didn't answer.

"Tonight," Dodgson said. "As a matter of fact…" he stifled a laugh, "you and Roland can go out there right now." He gestured to the cafeteria doors. "Bye-bye."

**oOo**

Wu banged on the control room's door. He had left his security card on his dresser in the staff lodge. He had no idea why he forgot it, but they had better let him in. Wu slammed his fist against the door and was surprised when it gave away in front of him. He marched into the control room, refusing to mask his anger.

"Took you long enough," he snapped.

"We were busy," Arnold said, tapping his cigarette into an ashtray.

"How about you stop being busy?"

No one responded. Wu felt his skin grow hot with anger—he felt this way whenever he shared the same space with the InGen staff. He couldn't explain what it was that made him feel this way until now: he had settled when he had taken the job to work for Hammond. Now he was through with settling for second best, and he hated being around people who reminded him of a past that he didn't want to return to.

"Why are you here?" Arnold said quietly.

"Because I work here."

"What do you want?"

"What kind of stupid question is that?"

"I thought you were with Biosyn."

"I am, so what's your point?"

Arnold shook his head, refusing to answer.

"You're a walking contradiction. If you're going to be a traitor to InGen, you might as well go all the way and wear Biosyn's ID badge."

Wu bristled and he knew who had spoken to them. Harding was at it again. Wu strode to the corner of the control room where Harding sat in a swiveling chair by himself apart from everyone.

"Look who grew a mouthpiece over night," Wu sneered. "I'm used to your quiet personality. What would it take to permanently shut you up?"

Harding glared at Wu. "Not a damn thing. Why? Do you plan on calling your beloved Dr. Dodgson on me?"

"You wouldn't want that, trust me."

"It's happened before. Won't be the first time or the last." Harding shrugged.

Wu found himself growing irritated by Harding's nonchalance with each passing second. For some reason, out of everyone on the InGen staff, Harding really got under his skin. Why?

"You should do like Robert," Wu said, pointing at Muldoon, who sat back in his chair, legs propped up on the table and steel flask in his hand. "Keep your mouth shut."

Muldoon sent Wu a sideways glance, maintaining his stony silence. He had come in an hour ago after going through the entire park with Tembo for the thousandth time. It was not an excursion he wanted to repeat again today.

"You're worse than Dennis," Arnold said in a low voice.

Wu turned around. "Say that again, Ray? I didn't hear you the first time." He made sure the ire in his tone was obvious.

"You're worse than Dennis."

"You're wrong—I'm _better_ than him. Know why?"

"Do tell," Harding dared. "Tell us why you're 'better' than him."

"Because none of you expected that mild-mannered Henry was passing secrets to Dodgson the whole time. You were all focused on that stupid slob."

"So that makes you better than him? How so?"

"Shut up, Gerry! You always want answers."

"You said you're a better traitor. Explain yourself and prove your thesis." Harding met Wu's eyes in a silent clash.

Muldoon looked in their direction as he listened.

"_I'm_ the one who told Dodgson about Hammond cloning a sixteenth species. Or that time when Lawala got blinded—I got in touch with Costa Rican officials and exaggerated the whole issue. Bet none of you ever thought of that. John shared a lot with me—he never thought I'd use it against him. I even got Hammond off the island so that the Biosyn team could take a dinosaur—remember those times? The first time I wasn't expecting to come back and see my lab in shambles. I have you to thank for that, Robert."

"So you came here to brag?" Arnold was clearly annoyed. "Is that all?"

"I also came to tell you the funniest thing—I did more for John Hammond than all of you put together!"

"You did a lot, alright," Harding said. "You betrayed him right under his nose."

"I did what I had to do," Wu said. "You would've done the same."

"Who is this guy?" Arnold asked, looking at Muldoon and Harding, and pointing at Wu. "Do we know him?"

"I have no idea who he thinks he is," Harding said to Arnold. He turned to Wu. "That's right, I said 'thinks' because you don't know who you are or what you're doing with Dodgson."

Wu smirked, entertained by their statements. "I thought I'd drop by to enlighten all of you, but I can see you're full of ingratitude."

"I'm bloody thankful for one."

Wu's eyes widened when he heard Muldoon speak. It was the first time he had said a sentence to him since that night by the raptor pen. Wu saw that he wasn't the only one shocked by Muldoon's pronouncement: Arnold and Harding had their attention focused on Muldoon, who got up from his chair so that he stood directly across from Wu in the control room.

"Do me a favor—better yet, do us all a favor. Take your badge off and throw it in the trash. There's no need to pretend unless it make you feel better to see how low you've stooped. You don't work for InGen anymore."

Something in Muldoon's tone made Wu's blood curdle. He touched his InGen badge, refusing to part with it.

"You see that door behind you?" Muldoon pointed behind Wu. Wu turned around and then turned back to glare hatefully at Muldoon. "Walk through it and never back here again. You're no longer a part of us and I don't bloody care if you're still on this island or not. We want no part of a traitor who comes in here to boast about what he's done."

The whole time Muldoon spoke, he had stood up and walked towards Wu, forcing him to back up. Wu walked backwards until he felt the door handle pressing against his lower back.

"And if I don't?"

"I'll _make_ you leave—violently if necessary."

Wu's confident demeanor took a blow and he wilted slightly. "You wouldn't be that stupid to assault me on Biosyn property. I'll get Tembo and the rest of the team to take you down."

"Get him." Muldoon gestured to the door, as if the Biosyn staff stood outside, waiting to pummel him. "Get them all if it makes you feel better. If they beat me down, I'll get right back up and kick you off this bloody island myself."

Wu stared wordless; shocked that Muldoon would threaten him. When he spoke again, his voice unsteady, but still haughty. "It's okay…you're jealous—all of you are! I'm moving up the ladder of success with Biosyn and the rest of you wallow in the mediocrity of InGen."

"Is that some lame lie that Dodgson fed to you?" Arnold asked.

"It's the truth—" Wu pointed at Muldoon. "Robert knows it too." Wu's voice lowered menacingly. "The raptors that you all agreed to have killed that I had a hand in recreating…they're gone…but not forever. All you have to do is look at Robert's face—"

Muldoon smashed his clenched fist across Wu's face, silencing him. Wu wiped his mouth and recoiled at seeing the blood on his lab coat sleeve. He glanced at Harding, who stared right through him, and at Arnold, who calmly smoked his cigarette. Neither man stood up to help him. A steady trail of blood leaked from his lips and his face throbbed painfully. Muldoon snatched his InGen identification badge off his lab coat and threw it down on the floor. Wu stared down at the badge that he had carefully pinned to his lab coat that morning. He was going to grab it from the floor, but Muldoon had already stepped on it and kicked it aside.

"Get. Out. Now." Muldoon pointed at the door.

Wu stared at Muldoon for a long time, their eyes locked in hateful gaze. A low buzzing noise came from the control room's door. He could tell when he wasn't wanted. Wu's fingers closed around the handle and without a word, he left the control room, slamming the door behind him.

* * *

**Author's Notes: **Thank you to MasterShaper for your review that gave me an idea to put in the fic! The song "Lies" by Evanescence, both the original and remix is haunting and beautiful. The line from the remix _"somebody tell me what made us all believe you"_ explains what the InGen staff feels towards Wu. Darthbane2007 asked about Alan Grant coming back--yes, he's definitely coming back! This will happen later in the story. I wanted to keep it a surprise, although I alluded to it in my author's notes. One last thing: now that I'm finished with school (and graduating this Thursday) I'm hoping I'll have more time to post. Thank you for your continued readership!

**--Sassy Lil Scorpio  
**


	3. Dodgson's Marionettes

**Dodgson's Marionettes**

Lewis Dodgson looked up from his desk in Hammond's office when he heard the loud knocking on the door. _Who the hell is it now?_ He went back to reading the papers that described Jurassic Park's future plans. Thanks to George Baselton, Dodgson was able to retrieve tons of information that InGen had kept secret for a long time. For example, Hammond had been planning for the park's opening date to take place within two years. Dodgson thought that was too long to wait. He'd have the park opened to the entire world in less time. Best of all, InGen's name wouldn't even be apart of it. Jurassic Park would belong to Biosyn. InGen was already being taken over. _Soon that stupid company will_ _cease to exist—go extinct. _Dodgson smiled at the thought of it. He had accomplished more than he had expected.

The knocking came again, only this time it sounded more like pounding.

"Come in!" Dodgson shouted. He hated being interrupted.

He sifted through the papers as Donald Gennaro invited himself in and closed the door behind him. He took a seat across from Dodgson and waited patiently to be noticed by him. Dodgson glanced at him casually, shoved the papers aside, and folded his hands on the desk. _Time to be professional._

"Hello Lewis, you said you wanted to see me?" Gennaro asked.

"Yes, I did." Dodgson moved forward in his swiveling chair. "We have lots to talk about."

"Such as?"

"For starters, Jurassic Park. We need to talk about when it's going to open to the public."

"That won't be for another two years—" Gennaro stopped when he saw Dodgson shaking his head.

"No, we're going to push ahead. Fuck schedules, they ruin everything."

"So what do you propose?"

"You're the man after Hammond?"

Gennaro looked puzzled, not understanding what Dodgson was getting at. Dodgson sighed, obviously annoyed at Gennaro's slowness. "You're second in command of International Genetics. Right?"

"Well…I _am_ Hammond's lawyer," Gennaro said, as though this was obvious enough. I "I represent him and InGen."

"That's it!" Dodgson slammed his fist on the desk. "I have a proposal for you, but first answer my question: do you want to see Jurassic Park opened to the public? Yes or no."

Gennaro sat back in his chair and thought about it. _Damn right, I want the park to open to the public. _Every time he thought about it, he saw dollar signs, pound signs, yen signs—every imaginable currency in the world flashed in front of his eyes.

"Of course, I do! We didn't build this park just to have it take up space on Isla Nublar."

"Exactly, but Hammond kept delaying and delaying…"

"He didn't delay. We could've opened the park sooner, but then that came to a halt because—"

"Because of certain people." Dodgson grinned, knowing where Gennaro was going.

"Don't remind me," Gennaro growled. His hands had clenched into fists. "There are other reasons too. Safety inspections, the need to have a clean staff, approval from the Costa Rican government—"

"That's all bullshit, Don, and you know it too."

Gennaro raised his eyebrows in response to Dodgson's calling him "Don". _Don?_ Dodgson referred to him as if they were good friends.

"Let's be honest, the reason this park still isn't opened is because of you-know-who."

"Don't mention his name," Gennaro growled. "I hate what _he's_ done to the company. Hammond made a huge mistake when he hired him."

"That much is obvious…" Dodgson paused and then swung back the conversation. "Regardless of what he's done to put a dent in InGen's plans, don't you want the park to open? Why should you keep pushing back the opening date just because of one bad apple?""

"That's true," Gennaro agreed. "But Hammond wanted to wait and make sure everything was right."

"That's what Hammond wanted, and he's not here anymore."

"And we don't know when or if he's coming back."

_Very good, Don…you could convince yourself if you wanted to, _Dodgson thought. Still, he had to do things his way. To hell with InGen, he wasn't there to help them—he was there to squash them. "Would it be a bad thing if say…_Biosyn _was the one to open the park?" Dodgson asked as he watched Gennaro closely.

"You mean if InGen handed over control to you?! That's crazy!" Gennaro said, shaking his head.

"Why is it crazy? C'mon, we're rival companies, but imagine what we could pull off if we worked together."

Dodgson picked up something from the floor. Gennaro watched as he slammed a black suitcase on the desk. _What's in the_ _suitcase?_ He wondered.

"I have a proposition for you, Don. I can have Jurassic Park opened in less than one year," Dodgson held up his pointer finger, "and it'll be the most thrilling, exciting, and unique theme park on the face of this planet. All you have to do is allow me to invite my team from Biosyn Incorporated. They can give _us_ the stamp of approval we need to open the park. Imagine all the money we'd make. It won't be InGen's project anymore—it'd be a joint one with Biosyn."

Gennaro stared at the black suitcase. He imagined Jurassic Park with its huge entrance gates wide open, the tour jeeps packed to capacity with tourists from all over the world—and all the money that would generate from being opened for one weekend. It was mind boggling to just think of how much money they would make in one day, or even three days. Dodgson promised to have the park open in less than a year. That sounded a way better than two years.

"I'm all for it, but—"

"I take that as a yes, then."

"It sounds great, almost too good to be true, but something's missing."

"What's missing? We can do this in less than a year. Less than six months even."

"You're saying," Gennaro spoke slowly now, "that you want me to hand you control of the entire park, the company—everything."

"No, I'm saying we can _collaborate_ together, those are the two key words. You and I. Don and Lew. It has a nice ring to it."

"You're a smooth talker," Gennaro said, not impressed.

"So are you. You're a lawyer; it's what you do best."

Gennaro would've usually taken that as an insult, but this time he smiled. Maybe he could work with Dodgson to get the park open. Did it really matter which company's name appeared on the paperwork, merchandise, the property, or the buildings? His mind raced as he thought of how this would work out.

"We can do that—have Biosyn's board of directors and CEO seal their approval of the park and from there open Jurassic Park under both names."

Dodgson's gray eyes glimmered behind his tinted shades. This had gone easier than he had anticipated. _Piece of cake. _He knew Gennaro's weakness and had simply played it against him. Gennaro wanted the park to open so he could do cartwheels in the money made from it. Dodgson also noted that Gennaro didn't mention one word about Hammond being in the hospital and what he would think when he returned only to find out that the rival company had easily taken over InGen. The best part was that Gennaro himself considered the possibility of Hammond not returning to the island. Dodgson didn't even have to bring it up.

_He doesn't care, _Dodgson thought. _Gennaro doesn't give a damn about InGen except where money's concerned. He's supposed to defend, protect, and represent International Genetics—not give it away as a wrapped gift._ Henry Wu had told Dodgson that Gennaro was totally against the Jurassic Park project in the beginning and was even a hair away from closing the entire island down—until he saw his first living and breathing dinosaur. At that moment, Gennaro went from being a thorn in Hammond's side to a blossoming rose—and it was only because he cared about the money. Gennaro knew people around the world would pay any price to see real dinosaurs. Wu knew that Gennaro knew this and Dodgson knew that Gennaro wanted to charge any amount for park visitors.

_He's worse than Dennis. _Dodgson grinned as the plans in his mind took solid form. He glanced at Gennaro, who was thinking his thoughts aloud when Dodgson flipped open the suitcase and held it open to him. Then he quickly shut it.

"What's that about?" Gennaro asked.

"I can get Jurassic Park on its feet in less than a year. We will have adequate staff, the stamp of approval from the company to give us the go-ahead, and we'll be adequately funded. That's a promise. I can arrange for the head chairmen to meet us on this island and take a tour of the park. They give it their seal of approval and boom! We take it to the next level."

"We just went over that," Gennaro pointed out.

"I can do that all for you…for a price."

Gennaro blinked. Somehow he knew Dodgson wouldn't do all this for free. There had to be a catch somewhere. "Name your price."

"There is one matter that remains unresolved, and I need your hand in remedying it. Just like I'm helping you to get the park opened ahead of schedule…I need your assistance in this small matter. I'm sure you'll be happy to oblige."

"What's the small matter?" Gennaro asked impatiently.

Dodgson drummed his fingers on the suitcase and he removed his tinted shades. His piercing glare spooked Gennaro who winced without realizing it.

"He must be taught a lesson."

"Who? Oh…_him_. I've been saying that for a long time now."

"No one agrees with you, huh? A little lonely out on that cliff of morals?"

"He brainwashed Robert Muldoon. Before they disappeared from the island, Robert _hated _him with every inch of his being. Now he defends him or at least talks about him as if they're friends."

"It's pathetic, isn't it?"

"Pathetic isn't the word."

"He must be taught a lesson," Dodgson repeated. "I need your help in this matter."

Gennaro nodded. "Okay, what is it? Just ask and I'll tell you. You want info right?"

"I need to know where he's located in Costa Rica. Where's he locked up?"

Gennaro didn't say anything. He knew Nedry was being held in a holding facility—a jail, in San Jose. As a matter of fact, he knew the exact one he was incarcerated in. He had kept in contact with Antonio Contreras because he wanted to know everything that was going on with Nedry.

Dodgson was fully aware that Gennaro knew about Nedry's whereabouts. He had overheard plenty of Gennaro's phone conversations to know what was taking place. Gennaro wasn't fond of Nedry and that was a pleasant way of putting it. Dodgson wasn't either, especially after the way Nedry had turned against Biosyn. There was a time where Dodgson counted on Nedry to follow his every whim, make InGen's staff a living hell, and screw around with Jurassic Park just because he could.

But that had all changed.

Now, Dennis Nedry was a little turncoat tattletale as far as Dodgson was concerned. Not only did Nedry attempt to tell the InGen staff about Biosyn's plans to take over Jurassic Park, but he had severely injured Dodgson's men. George Baselton hadn't walked around with a heavy cast for months because he thought it was a snazzy fashion statement. Nedry had broken his arm lovely. He had also smashed Howard King's left kneecap and he wasn't the least bit apologetic. On the night he was arrested, he had laughed at Baselton and King, made jokes about their injuries, and then he kicked the hell out of Dodgson. _He has some fucking nerve, _Dodgson fumed. It didn't matter that Baselton and King had fully healed. Dodgson was determined to put Nedry in his place.

Nedry had also sent Hammond to the hospital and Muldoon was scarred for life—literally. _When he let those raptors out, it must've been a sight to behold. _Dodgson wished he had been there to see it happen. He didn't care about Muldoon and Hammond. So what if Nedry's actions had hurt them? _Like I'm going to shed tears for them. _Dodgson took care of his own, if the enemy went down, then all the better. Regardless of who Nedry had hurt in the past, one thing was certain in Dodgson's eyes. Nedry was a traitor through and through, and he deserved whatever he had coming to him. _It's time for the slob to be taught a lesson he'll never forget. _

"What do you have in mind, Lew?"

"Send my team to teach him a lesson on behalf of their teacher, myself."

Gennaro nodded, following what Dodgson was implying. "I'll get you the info."

**oOo**

Robert Muldoon returned from his rounds in the park. He had checked up on all the dinosaurs, driving by their paddocks with Gerry Harding to make sure they were well taken care of and simply surviving as best they could. The triceratops was sick again and Muldoon had tranquilized her for Harding. The poor animal was breathing hard and refused to eat her food. Her three protruding horns had taken on a pale yellow color, completely unnatural from its normal ivory tone. Muldoon hoped she would be okay. He trusted Harding to do his job adequately. He had left him in the paddock and went back to the visitor center. Later on, he'd have to make one more check around the park with Roland Tembo. Muldoon wasn't in a rush to do it. He was halfway through the lobby when his walkie-talkie crackled. Muldoon raised it to his ear. There was brief hissing and then:

"Gerry to Robert. The triceratops will be out for the rest of the night. We should check up on her early tomorrow. Over."

"Will do. We'll discuss it over dinner. Are you returning? Over."

"Yes, give me a half hour and I'll meet you and Ray in the cafeteria. I'll pick up Ellie, Malcolm, and the kids."

"Sounds good. See you then." Muldoon clicked off the walkie-talkie and shoved it in his pocket. He walked past the lobby and went through a door that led to the staff's offices. He passed by Arnold's and glanced in briefly to see if he was inside. Arnold wasn't there, so Muldoon figured he was in the control room.

He was about to turn back and go to the control room when he saw a path of yellow light from under one of the offices. Muldoon quietly went over and saw that it was from Hammond's office. The door was closed and he peered in. Dodgson was seated behind the desk. Atop the desk was an opened suitcase with bonded cash inside. Then Muldoon saw Dodgson close the suitcase and hand it to the man who sat across from him. His eyes widened when he saw Gennaro accept the suitcase. In his mind, he relieved the memory of Nedry accepting a suitcase from a man on the boat. Muldoon shook his head and focused on the present.

Both men stood up and shook hands over the desk. Dodgson grinned as he put on his tinted shades. His head tilted in Muldoon's direction. Muldoon dropped out of sight and walked swiftly down the hallway. He found his office and jammed his key in the door and rushed in. Then he knelt down against the door and listened. Moments later, he was able to hear Gennaro and Dodgson as they walked slowly, their shoes boomed like thunder on the floor. They spoke loudly as if they were the only ones in the visitor center.

"You think the cop will accept it?" Gennaro asked.

"Of course he will. You're offering him more than enough money," Dodgson said. It'll be his unofficial raise for doing his job and helping us. He treated Dennis like dirt, so I'm sure he won't refuse. He would be stupid not to accept all that cash."

"I'll call to inform him of our upcoming visit."

"Money is every man's kryptonite," Dodgson said.

That was all Muldoon heard and it was more then enough. He waited a few minutes more and then dashed out of his office.

**oOo**

Ray Arnold lit a cigarette and sat back in his swiveling chair. He was alone in the control room and had been watching Harding take care of the triceratops on the video monitor for the past two hours. When Harding was finished, he'd pick up Arnold, and they'd go eat dinner together. Arnold puffed on his cigarette and closed his eyes, trying to relax. This was the first time he enjoyed being alone. He had been alone for months waiting for Muldoon and Nedry to return. Now he was alone and okay with it. He was thankful that Dodgson or some other Biosyn crony wasn't breathing down his back. The door to the control room beeped as someone entered. He opened his eyes and saw Muldoon slam the door.

"What's wrong?" Arnold asked. He pointed to a chair next to him and Muldoon shook his head.

"It's Gennaro—he's sleeping with the enemy. I saw him with Dodgson just now. There was a money exchange—something's going on, Ray. We have another traitor on our hands."

Arnold raised his eyebrows, unsure of what to make of this news. Things just seemed to get worse everyday, and he wasn't sure how much more he could take. "Catch your breath and calm down. We'll figure it out."

"NO!" He shouted and Arnold flinched at his tone. "No," Muldoon said, calmly this time. He couldn't waste any time. Something bad was going to happen; he felt it in his gut; his instincts yelled at him about it.

"What's this about Gennaro?" Arnold tapped his cigarette, releasing gray ash into the ashtray next to his computer console.

"He's a sellout—I know it."

"He probably is, but what else is new?" Arnold said, sounding nonchalant. "Seriously, do you know who you sound like?"

"I know…I sound like Dennis when he accused Henry. He was telling the truth and none of us believed him. Then we found out and it was too late."

"Yes, that was then. This is now. Why do you say this about Gennaro?"

Muldoon clenched his fists as if trying to avoid striking Arnold. He knew he would never hurt his friend, but his frustration was mounting and Arnold wasn't helping matters by sitting there and smoking as if he hadn't a care in the world.

"Because I heard it—I saw it."

"_When?_" Arnold asked; his patience was thin. "I don't know what to believe anymore. First Dennis, then Henry, now Donald?!"

"Just now. They were in Hammond's office and I saw cash in a suitcase."

Arnold nodded and then he looked past Muldoon. Muldoon turned around and saw Gennaro standing behind him. No one had heard him come in. Muldoon didn't give a damn if Gennaro had overheard him. The suitcase that he had seen earlier in the room had disappeared. It was as if it had never existed. Muldoon knew he wasn't imagining things, and he definitely wasn't imagining Gennaro's cold smile and hungry black eyes that resembled an alligator's.

"You were saying, Robert?" Gennaro asked, stepping further into the control room. He nodded at Muldoon, urging him to continue.

"You're working with Dodgson. I saw you." Muldoon pushed Gennaro backwards, making him hit a desk behind him.

Gennaro steadied himself to avoid losing his balance. "Don't put your hands on me," he growled as he brushed his shoulder off.

"You're sleeping with the enemy." Muldoon pointed at Gennaro.

Arnold watched their exchange. He didn't take sides, despite how he felt about Gennaro's treatment of him before Muldoon's return. It was true that he and Muldoon were friends, and it was also true that the tension between them hadn't completely disappeared. They talked, but not like they used to. In fact, they argued more these days, and based on this, Arnold had a feeling if he stepped in, it would only turn into a fight between him and Muldoon. Their arguing would allow Gennaro to skate free of any responsibility from being the cause of it all. Besides that, even if Arnold said something, they wouldn't listen. No one did.

"Sleeping with the enemy?" Gennaro chuckled. "I have a wife back home. That's whom I sleep with. Not 'the enemy' whoever that is."

"Don't play stupid with me. You know damn well whom I'm referring to."

Gennaro shrugged. "I have no clue as to why you're bent out of shape. You need to go lie down and rest."

"You were with Dodgson. I heard everything you two discussed."

"So? Why can't I talk to Lew? Who are_ you _to tell me who I can and can't speak to on this island? You were eavesdropping on our conversation, that's an invasion of privacy."

"I didn't say you couldn't talk to him. I said I saw you with him." Muldoon ignored the part where Gennaro accused him of eavesdropping.

"What's it to you?"

"I work for John Hammond. It's in his best interest that I know what's going on."

"I work for him too. So does Ray." Surprisingly, Gennaro gestured at Arnold.

"Then what you do with Dodgson is our business."

Gennaro jabbed a finger in Muldoon's chest, unafraid of him. "Mind your damn business. Don't you have better things to do like baby-sit the animals in the park?"

Muldoon shoved Gennaro's hand off his chest. "Dodgson gave you a suitcase full of cash. If you've got nothing to hide, then tell Ray and me what it's about. We're waiting."

Gennaro stared at Muldoon, and then turned to Arnold.

"Our favorite hacker completely brainwashed him. Can't you tell?"

"You both need to stop pointing fingers at each other," Arnold said. "It's not going to solve anything."

"You're no help, but that's no surprise. Too bad we can't fire you and use the money from your salary to upgrade the company." Gennaro turned back to Muldoon, completely missing Arnold's murderous glare. "First off," he started as he ticked the points off his fingers. "I was meeting with Dodgson to discuss matters concerning our company and the park. Second, if and when I choose to talk with him, it's _my _business—not yours. Third, stop being paranoid. You're always looking to point fingers at somebody. Look in the mirror, buddy, before you start yapping about anyone else."

"I've looked in the mirror and I'm fine with what I see. _You _are a dirty, sneaky, smooth-talking, snake-tongued lawyer—"

"Robert, please," Arnold said as he removed his headset and stood up from his console.

"—who would sell the InGen company for a dollar if it meant you'd make millions more with Biosyn."

Gennaro's eyes took on a faraway look and he shook his head, as if pitying Muldoon. "You're just an insignificant park warden, who doesn't know what the hell he's talking about. You should stick to what you know best—keeping animals like yourself and Ray in line."

"To hell with you!" Arnold shouted, rising from his seat.

"You bloody bastard," Muldoon whispered. His eyes had a wild gleam to them—it was a hint of how infuriated he was by Gennaro's insult.

Gennaro smirked, pleased at their responses. He started towards door to the control room. "I don't have to put up with your trash, especially not from someone who's far beneath me." He grasped the handle and then turned around, a broad grin on his face. "Dennis was right about one thing: you _are_ a self-righteous prick."

Gennaro didn't make it out of the control room quick enough. As soon as he finished saying the word "prick," Muldoon bolted at him and slammed his fist across Gennaro's face. Before Gennaro could fight him off, Muldoon yanked him upwards and threw him against the steel door. The door handle banged against Gennaro's back and he whimpered in pain.

"Say that again to my face!"

"You self-right—"

Muldoon punched him in the face again and blood spewed from Gennaro's mouth. Gennaro slumped against the wall and wiped his jaw. He trembled in fear and Muldoon kicked him in the stomach before backing off.

"You slimy bastard—don't you _ever_ call me a 'self-righteous prick' again. Get the hell out of here unless you want two black eyes!"

Muldoon leaned down and grabbed Gennaro by the collar. Gennaro glared at him and tried to shove him off, but Muldoon held his grip.

"You have serious issues. Have you considered seeing a psychiatrist?" Gennaro spat out blood and wiped his mouth with the back of his arm. "You're twisted in the head!"

"And you're Dodgson's little marionette," Muldoon replied. "He really knows how to pull your strings."

"So—no, I'm…" Gennaro stumbled with his words. "What does that make you? You're brainwashed!"

Muldoon approached him again, and Arnold got between them and pushed Muldoon off Gennaro. "You stay right there," he pointed at Muldoon, who paced back and forth behind him like a hungry lion.

Muldoon kept his eyes on Gennaro the entire time. Arnold extended his hand to Gennaro, offering to help him get on his feet.

Gennaro waved Arnold's hand away. "I don't need your damn help."

"Suit yourself." Arnold stepped back and folded his arms across his chest. "I shouldn't have wasted my time on someone who considers me an animal."

Gennaro got up and wobbled to the door. His smile was both broken and condescending. "Keep an eye on him, Ray. He might need to be restrained in the future. I don't know what's gotten into him."

"Son of a bitch," Muldoon swore.

"That's enough!" Arnold shouted and pointed at the door. "Just leave the room. We'll see you at dinner."

Gennaro left the control room without looking back. Arnold turned to Muldoon. He looked him over and then went back to his console. Deciding he needed to relax after this confrontation, Arnold took out his lighter and flicked it on and off. The reddish-orange flame appeared and disappeared. He watched it intently, allowing himself to be mesmerized by the light. Arnold caught sight of his half-lit cigarette and stubbed it in the ashtray next to his computer. The entire time he had felt Muldoon's burning stare on his back, but didn't turn to face him.

"Well?" Muldoon asked.

"Well, what?" Arnold asked in return, typing on his keyboard.

"You're sitting there, playing with your lighter like nothing happened."

"I'm so tired of all this arguing. It never ends."

"I'm tired too—tired of nobody doing shit around here," Muldoon snapped, kicking the wall.

Arnold didn't budge in his chair. "Calm down."

"'Calm down'? What the hell is that? After the way he acted, it's obvious he's up to no good and he called you an animal!"

Arnold didn't look up from his console. "He called me worse things when you were stranded on Sorna. He likes to act like a child, so I've learned the best way to handle him is not to give him the attention he wants. That's why you shouldn't have attacked him."

"I had good reason," Muldoon said through clenched teeth. Arnold's calm demeanor was starting to irritate him.

"You shouldn't have done it anyway."

"So now you're on his side?"

"I'm on nobody's side," Arnold said, lighting a new cigarette.

Muldoon reached over him and snatched it from his hands. "Pick a side. You can't play the 'I'm on my side' crap."

"Robert, I'm all spent. You know I'm one hundred percent loyal to Hammond and InGen. I shouldn't have to tell you that."

"How do I know you're loyal? Prove it."

Arnold slowly turned around in his swiveling chair to face Muldoon. When Muldoon saw the hurt expression in his face, he immediately wished he could take back his words. Arnold's empty stare clearly told Muldoon how devastated he felt that after all this time, his loyalty was in question.

"I'm sorry," Muldoon choked out.

Arnold held up his hand. He didn't want to hear any apologies. "After everything that's happened, I can't believe you'd accuse me selling out."

"I didn't—"

"Save it—shut up and save it." Arnold's tone was icy as he got up from his chair. He looked at his wristwatch. "Gerry should be here soon. Tell him I'm sorry that I didn't come to dinner."

He started towards the exit of the control room. Muldoon followed him to the door.

"Listen Ray, I don't know what got into me—I'm truly sorry," Muldoon added quickly. He signed, thinking fast of what to say next before Arnold completely closed himself off. "It's the stress, you know how it is."

Arnold turned to him one last time and Muldoon could see the pain and frustration in his eyes. They glistened with tears that refused to be released. "We're all stressed out. This place is nothing but stress."

Arnold left him standing alone in the control room.

**oOo**

A phone rang loudly in a holding facility on Costa Rica. It rang a second time before it was picked it up.

"San Jose Holding Facility," the voice said and then he translated the same words into Spanish. He listened to the voice on the other end and switched to English full mode.

"Antonio Contreras speaking…oh I see. How are you, Señor Gennaro?"

The voice on the other line told him he was fine and that he had important matters to discuss with him.

"What type of matters? You want to come see that jack-ass? You should let him rot, that's what I'd do."

Contreras ran his hand through his dark hair as he considered what was being asked of him. He took out a paper and pen.

"What time will you show up with your group?"

He wrote down _12a.m. _on the paper.

"How many guys will you be bringing? A woman too…that's fine."

He wrote down the number five. He'd have to get five jail jumpsuits for tomorrow night's special guests.

"How much are you willing to pay?"

Contreras wrote down six figures on the paper. "Not bad…" He tapped his pen on the number as he listened to Gennaro's plans.

"I'll do it. Just bring me the money first thing. I can set you guys up so that no one suspects a thing. I know the ins and outs of this facility better than anyone…yeah, I would know, since most of the guys I lock up are brought here."

Contreras listened as he opened up a drawer from the desk and removed an unused syringe and studied it. He could get more syringes if necessary. He had access to the facility's infirmary. All he had to say was that he was taking a blood sample. He set the syringe aside.

"I can drug him for you. It won't knock him out, but it'll slow his responses down."

Now he whispered into the phone. "I can arrange to be the guard that night. Not a problem. They just have to do the job quickly and quietly. I'd say give them about two hours. That should be enough time."

There was more from Gennaro. Contreras drummed his fingers on the desk impatiently."Tomorrow night it is. Come an hour early."

He hung up the phone and grinned, as he reviewed everything Gennaro had told him. _Usually things are boring here, but tomorrow will be interesting…fun for me, but not for him. _Contreras laughed and his eyes lingered on the six figures that would be his reward tomorrow night.

* * *

**Author's** **Notes: **Hey everyone! Thanks for your continued readership. I just wanted to say that questions and comments are always welcome. To Darthbane...first, thank you for the congrats! I'm relieved that grad school is over. I sent you a private message and gave you detailed answers to everything you asked. I don't want to answer them on here, only because I don't want to give everything away to the readers. Also, if you leave reviews while signed in, I can send you a reply attached to the review you leave. FFN isn't keen on authors writing back to their readers on the same page as the fic, so that's another reason why I sent you a message. I used to have a forum just for my fics, but I deleted it. Please know that I'm more than happy to answer yours (and anyone else's comments) regarding the fic, I just can only say so much on here. Thank you again!

**-Sassy Lil Scorpio**


	4. Hell in a Cell

**Hell in a Cell**

When Dennis Nedry was rudely awakened the next morning, he immediately knew two things: that Antonio Contreras was far more corrupt than the men he threw in jail, and that his day was off to a bad start and would only worsen.

He had been in the dream-like stage between sleeping and waking up when ice cold water hit him in the face. His first thought was that he was fighting with Robert Muldoon again, and that Muldoon had pushed him into the water surrounding east dock. The moment he opened his eyes to see if this was some weird dream that seemed real; his heart jumped up and lodged itself inside his throat. If Muldoon were present, he would explain why Nedry remained frozen.

"Get the hell up," Contreras growled.

Nedry stared at the gun aimed directly in his face, paralyzed with intense fear. Making the slightest movement, he turned to see if the two inmates who shared the cell with him had woken up or if they had any inkling about what was going on. One inmate glanced over and then went back to sleeping as if he hadn't seen or heard anything. The other inmate watched with one eye open, but made no move to get involved.

"Don't make me repeat myself."

"I—"

"Get. Up."

Contreras backed off, but kept his gun aimed at Nedry. He glanced over his shoulder to make sure no officers were nearby. _No one—good. _He had nodded at the two guards he had seen earlier, and then continued on his way to Nedry's cell without giving them an explanation. In Contreras' eyes, he filled the jail with the country's criminals and no one had the right to question him. Not other police officers, not correction officers, and certainly not criminals who belonged in a prison on another continent.

"Did you hear me the first time?! I said GET UP!" Contreras grabbed his collar and pulled him out of the bottom bunk.

Nedry stumbled to the floor and quickly got to his feet before Contreras could kick him. As soon as he straightened himself out, Contreras gestured at the cell's wall, gun still in hand and aimed at him. Saying nothing, Nedry followed the directive, although in his mind, it took forever before he was actually facing the wall. He waited a moment, and when he thought nothing was going to happen, he looked over his shoulder. The barrel of Contreras' gun stared back at him. Nedry fought against the nausea dancing in his head. He knew the cop loved abusing his power.

"Put your hands behind your back."

Resisting at this point was useless, and testing Contreras would ensure that he never tested him again. He didn't want to get shot in the head by a cop who paraded around as if he were a god to be feared. Nedry knew he had no choice, but to do as he was told.

**oOo**

It was nine-thirty in the evening and Ian Malcolm sat back, observing everyone in the cafeteria. There was little to no conversation going on. A thick tension enveloped the InGen staff and hung over them like a dark thundercloud. Forks, spoons, and knives clinked against china plates. That was the only noise heard. Muldoon sat next to Harding playing with his food. Malcolm noted that he seemed preoccupied with something that weighed heavy on his mind. He sighed, picked up his spoon, and then lowered it to his plate. Harding watched Muldoon, but said nothing about him choosing not to eat.

Tim and Lex Murphy sat across from them eating ice cream. They appeared sullen with long faces and downcast eyes. Every so often, Tim would look around and then whisper to Lex. At one point, they shook their heads simultaneously. _"I can't believe he said that," _Malcolm heard Lex whisper. He didn't bring himself into the conversation although he knew what she was referring to.

Earlier in the day, Lex and Tim had asked Malcolm when they would visit their grandfather again. It had been months since their last visit to see Hammond. Time marched on and no one knew what was going on with him. Dodgson forbade them to call the hospital and he refused to let them leave the island to visit. Malcolm didn't know what to say; all he could do was empathize with them, and give them the understanding they needed. It wasn't fair that they weren't allowed to see Hammond. Tim had asked again for the third time, and that's when Dodgson walked in on their conversation.

"_Next time you see your Grandpa, he'll be in a casket."_

Dodgson had walked away laughing, completely oblivious to Tim's muttering under his breath about him being "_a stupid asshole_" who should "_get the_ _hell off Grandpa's island_". Lex wasn't as shocked as Tim and she knew it was better not to react to Dodgson the same way she had reacted to Gennaro months ago. Malcolm was stuck between comforting Tim and Lex and going after Dodgson to confront him for his callous words. In the end, he chose to stay with them. He had done his best to comfort them and explained they would see Grandpa soon, but even so, Malcolm had a gut feeling that it wouldn't happen.

Ellie Sattler sat next to Malcolm, stirring her spoon in half-eaten chicken noodle soup. She didn't have an appetite either, and she was very quiet tonight. She watched Tim and Lex eat their ice cream slowly with no enthusiasm. They were near Muldoon and Harding, and she was going to speak to Muldoon, when Malcolm shook his head.

"He's not in good spirits," Malcolm said.

"Who's in good spirits these days?" Ellie asked. "You have a knack for stating the obvious, Ian."

Malcolm smiled sardonically. "I do, don't I?" He paused for a minute, and then brightened. "Guess what?!"

Ellie didn't look impressed. "I'm not in the mood for guessing games. Why don't you just tell me?"

"I have an idea…" Malcolm started and stopped when he saw Lex come to their table.

"I forgot, Ian." Ellie looked at Malcolm and Lex. "I promised Lex we'd hang out in the greenhouse tonight. She's helping me plant new flowers."

"Taking my woman away, huh?" He joked with Lex.

"She was mine first!"

"I won't put up a fight. You win this time."

"And every time after that!" Lex said proudly.

Malcolm laughed. They enjoyed vying for Ellie's attention.

Ellie kissed him briefly. "Tell me later, okay?" She pushed away from the table and stood up.

"Sure thing."

"Ready Lex?" Ellie smiled.

Lex nodded. They left the cafeteria and headed for the greenhouse.

Malcolm watched them leave. He was thrilled that Ellie and Lex could be happy even if it was for a brief moment. Everyone on the island was miserable, and if the two of them could have some happiness just by being in the greenhouse planting flowers, then Malcolm was all for it. He smiled when he thought of Lex's name for Ellie—"_El_." _It's cute,_ he thought. He got up to place his and Ellie's plates and cups in the dishwasher when Arnold walked in and took a seat at a table by himself in the far corner.

"How's it going, Ray?" Malcolm asked cheerfully.

"It's going."

Malcolm nodded, knowing in advance to back off when he heard Arnold's sharp tone. He took out a pen from his pocket and wrote down chaos theory equations on a napkin. It kept his mind busy and this was his expertise. He wrote down a third equation when he saw Muldoon approach Arnold. Malcolm set down his pen and watched.

Muldoon pulled out a chair to take a seat and Arnold stood up. He left the cafeteria without looking behind him. Muldoon followed him out. Harding was left by himself, looking quizzically at the cafeteria doors. He turned to Malcolm and they both sighed at the same time. They knew without saying it aloud that Muldoon and Arnold had gotten into another heated argument.

Malcolm shook his head sadly. Muldoon had tried talking to Arnold all day, only to receive cold silence. From the way Arnold reacted, Malcolm presumed that his friendship with Muldoon was in jeopardy. Before Muldoon had disappeared from Isla Nublar, he and Arnold were close friends. Now they barely said a word to each other and when they did, it was always strained. At their worst, they argued nonstop. Things had been awkward ever since Muldoon had returned with Nedry. Malcolm thought they had resolved their differences since that time, but apparently they hadn't. He wasn't aware of the squabble between them and—

"Malcolm, do you need a hearing aid?" Gennaro snapped.

Malcolm looked up and saw Gennaro looming above him. What the hell did _he_ want?

"You're incredible at greeting people, Donald."

"Save your sarcasm for another day. I came to tell you that I have business matters to attend to."

Malcolm raised his eyebrows. "Oh?"

"Yes, it's off island," Gennaro said casually, and it was clear this was all he intended to reveal.

Malcolm nodded; he knew Gennaro meant he was leaving Isla Nublar temporarily, but he didn't know what for. He wanted to satisfy his curiosity. "What for, if I may ask?"

"Nothing you need to know about."

Malcolm sat back in his chair, thrown off by Gennaro's cryptic answer. Why did he come over to say he was leaving Isla Nublar if he wasn't going to say where he was going or what he was doing? Malcolm knew he should be used to Gennaro's elitist attitude, but it still jarred him, even after all this time.

"You don't have to be defensive." He got up and stood eye to eye with Gennaro. Gennaro's lips twitched as if he were trying to hide a smile. _What a weirdo,_ Malcolm thought.

"I'm not being defensive. It's called being _private_."

"If you say so." Malcolm shrugged. "What time do you expect to be back?"

"Late night or early morning hours. Tell the rest of the staff."

"Will do." Malcolm got up to leave the cafeteria and shoved the napkins in his pocket.

"And Malcolm?"

"Yeah?" His hand gripped the door handle.

"Don't do anything stupid. I know how you are."

Malcolm glanced behind him and met Gennaro's cold glare. He shook his head in annoyance and left to go find Muldoon and Arnold.

**oOo**

He found them in the control room. Malcolm rapped on the door and waited to be allowed inside. In the meantime, he listened and watched from outside. It was obvious that the InGen staff had been kept in the dark about Dodgson's and Gennaro's excursion. Arnold looked confused and Muldoon was skeptical. Both men still weren't talking, but that's because they were listening to whatever Dodgson was telling them. Roland Tembo and Howard King stood on either side of Dodgson like bodyguards trained to protect him.

"This is a trip that Mr. Gennaro and I have discussed in great detail. We should be back in a few hours, probably late evening or early morning. Any questions?"

"I still don't understand what this is about," Arnold said.

"I'm not going over it again," Dodgson snapped. "You're lucky I was considerate enough to tell you that I'm leaving for a short time."

"I didn't ask you to go over it again," Arnold said calmly, taking out a cigarette from a pack.

"It'd be even more considerate if you left for good," Muldoon grumbled.

Dodgson grinned. "I heard that Mr. Muldoon, you can continue to pout and make your stupid remarks. I'm here to stay. As for you, Mr. Arnold, we're taking care of matters concerning Jurassic Park and Isla Nublar. Legal matters."

"In the middle of the night?"

"Yes."

"That's bloody strange," Muldoon threw in.

"Newsflash! I don't care what you _bloody _think. The faster you learn that, the better off you'll be."

Arnold looked up just then and saw Malcolm waiting outside of the control room. He was looking for his security pass. Arnold buzzed him in to make it easier. Malcolm walked in and Dodgson turned around.

"What's going on?" Malcolm asked. He wanted to see if Dodgson would let any info slip since Gennaro was absolutely silent about this "trip".

The only thing that "slipped" was Dodgson's impatient demeanor as he threw his hands in the air. "You two tell him. I'm not repeating myself." He glanced at his watch. It was time to go; the group was waiting for him at the helipad.

"Odd time to hold a meeting," Malcolm said.

"It's a good time as any. While I'm gone, you're to respect Tembo and King."

"We don't need baby-sitters," Arnold said. "Or prison guards to watch us."

"Yeah, we can handle our own," Malcolm added.

Dodgson grinned. "If you can handle your own, then how did I manage to take over Isla Nublar?"

Silence from Arnold and Malcolm.

"When you don't have answers, it's best you keep your mouth shut. This way you won't look more stupid than you two already are."

"You had inside help," Muldoon fired, pointing at Dodgson.

Dodgson turned to him, his glare icy and hateful.

"Watch your tone," Tembo said.

Muldoon's eyes met Tembo's and they silently battled. Tembo smiled when he saw Muldoon's clenched fist. "I'd advise you to not be resistant, Robert. It won't get you anywhere."

Dodgson nodded as he approved of his handling of the situation.

"Good man, Roland, you told him right. I have to leave now, make sure they don't do anything foolish or give you a hard time." Dodgson turned to the InGen staff. "Behave yourselves and you'll get gold stars and ice cream sandwiches." He picked up a large backpack and left the control room.

King followed him out and Tembo stayed behind. He glared at the InGen staff and then left the room, content that he had been placed in charge of guarding them. Malcolm watched him leave and then turned to Muldoon and Arnold. They were talking to each other. Malcolm sighed, relieved that they were working things out.

"I'm sorry for doubting you," Muldoon said.

Arnold lit his cigarette. "Apology accepted, but let's get one thing straight—don't _ever_ accuse me of that again. After everything that's happened in the past three years, I'm not gonna sit here and allow you to accuse of me of being a traitor."

Muldoon nodded solemnly. Malcolm stood back, puzzled as to what they both meant. He decided to find out if they knew what was going on. It would put them on the same page and redirect them to concentrate on whatever was happening with Gennaro and Dodgson.

"Does anyone have a clue about what those two are doing?"

"We would tell you if we knew," Arnold replied. "All I know is that it's you, me, Robert, Gerry, Ellie, Tim, and Lex on the island—and Howard King and Roland Tembo, Dodgson's men."

"Where's Gerry?" Malcolm asked.

"He took Tim into the park," Muldoon said. "They're still out there."

Malcolm thought for a moment. What could he do while the cat's away? "Ray, do you have internet access?" He asked. "Or any network connections?"

"Yes, I do."

"I'd like to check something out."

"Be my guest." Arnold slid back in his swiveling chair, and brought another chair next to him.

Malcolm took a seat next to Arnold at his console.

**oOo**

Contreras got up from his desk and passed a cup of orange juice through the cell's bars.

"Drink this."

Nedry took the cup and looked it over, trying to figure out if Contreras had put something in it. "What's the time?"

Contreras didn't answer at first. He stood on the outside of the cell, sizing it up. It could hold up to six men, and it was just the right size for what was expected to happen tonight. Before this cell, Contreras had kept Nedry locked in a cramped cell used for troublesome inmates. He had no contact with anyone except Contreras all day. Or, it was more accurate to say that Nedry had sat for hours by himself, and the only time he heard from anyone was when Contreras came over to give him his breakfast and lunch. About an hour ago, Contreras transported him to the new cell he was in now. The air was muggy and thick with dust, as were most of the cells in the facility.

"Hello?! I asked you the time! Answer my damn question…or are you so stupid that you can't tell time? I bet that's what it is."

Contreras clenched his fist in an effort to regain his patience and restrain himself from going into the cell and pummeling Nedry. Even when he was drugged up, Nedry was still a royal pain to deal with. "Time for you to dri—"

Contreras stopped mid-sentence when the juice sloshed his face and chest.

"Drink your own poison, you stupid pig."

The Styrofoam cup rattled on the ground next to Contreras' feet, and he heard Nedry laughing. _The stupid son of a bitch thinks he's funny._ Contreras glanced at his watch. A quarter to twelve in the evening. They should be here any minute. He had told them where to meet him. His co-workers upstairs had known better than to ask him what he was up. _Seniority's a beautiful thing, _he thought.

"Laugh while you can," Contreras said.

"I will, you corrupt jerk."

Nedry snickered and then sat down on the bench. His laughter died as he massaged his temples. He breathed slowly and then wrung his wrists. Contreras observed this from outside of the cell and grinned. Finally, the drug was taking full effect and really working through his system. For the last three hours, Nedry had muttered about how his head hurt like Hell had squashed it, and he had complained that his arms felt as if someone had twisted and ripped them off his body.

What made it even better was that Nedry had been drugged three times during the day. Every time he gave him a meal, Contreras made sure to add the drug in powdered form to the drink. He had wanted to use a syringe and drug him with one injection, but he'd have to deal with Nedry's resistance and he didn't want that. Better to do the job in an easy and undetectable manner. Nedry had caught on, but by then, it was too late. Anytime Contreras offered him a cookie or a fruit, he'd turn it down. If he was offered a drink, he'd throw it in Contreras' face.

"You're screwing with me," Nedry mumbled. "I know you are."

"Why would I do that?"

"You drugged me. I know you did...I'm telling the captain or whoever…" Nedry's voice drifted as he stretched his arms and shook them. "My arms…"

Contreras held out his hands as if to show that he was innocent. "You can't prove I did anything to you; it's my word against yours. No one listens to lying criminals like yourself."

"That's gonna change when I complain about you. I'll be speaking for every guy in here. They know your true colors."

"Yeah, they know my 'true colors'," Contreras said in a mocking tone. "Sit there and shut the hell up. You're giving me a headache worse than yours."A phone rang at his desk and he picked it up. "Someone's here… send them to the sub-lower level. I know what it's about…what's that? None of your damned business; just send them in." Contreras slammed the phone down. "Nosy rookies," he muttered.

"You treat your fellow coppers like criminals too," Nedry said. "You never cease to amaze me."

Contreras didn't bother answering him. He heard approaching footsteps and looked in the direction where they were coming from. A moment later, Gennaro came in with the guy that Nedry had called 'Lewis Dodgson' on the night of his arrest. Dodgson walked with a purpose; his towering height was regal and intimidating. It was clear that he was in charge of the entire operation. He extended his hand towards Contreras.

"A pleasure to do business with you, Señor Contreras."

Dodgson's grip was strong and firm.

"The pleasure's all mine," Contreras said, grinning widely.

Gennaro held a large blue luggage. Contreras looked past them and counted five more people. A bearded man nodded at Contreras knowingly. The woman next to him was a stunning beauty. Her black hair flowed past her shoulders and her blue eyes were as cold as an iceberg. A silent man, his skin tone the color of smooth chocolate towered above the first two. Another man was with them. Contreras recognized him as the one of the park employees who had been at the dock, the first time he had arrested Nedry. _What's he doing here?_ He looked like a mild-mannered man, dressed completely in white. Despite his benign vibes, his slanted eyes were catlike and feral. The last man, whom Contreras had little contact with, had silver hair pulled back into a ponytail. Nedry had poked fun at his broken arm.

Contreras was pleased that they had shown up. He looked at his watch. _Right on time._ _Twelve a.m. on the dot._ He opened the drawer and placed five orange prison jumpsuits on the desk. He didn't have to hand them out, the group snatched them eagerly and awaited their directions.

"I have something special for you, Señor Dodgson."

Dodgson smiled as Contreras handed him a police uniform. He reached into the drawer again and pulled out a nightstick, handcuffs, a firearm, a flashlight, a can of mace, and a badge.

"Your costume's complete. If you go down the hall and make the first right, there's a room for you guys to change. Come back quick. The sooner you start this, the better."

They left with their new attire. Gennaro watched them and then turned to Contreras. He placed the luggage on his desk. Dodgson had told him to give Contreras the cash first thing. This way he cop wouldn't feel cheated, and he might give the group an extra hour to conduct their business.

"May I?" Contreras asked. He sat down in his folding chair and rubbed his palms together.

"Of course," Gennaro said.

Contreras unzipped the luggage.

**oOo**

_Dodgson closed the door to the meeting room once everyone had taken their seats. It was nine in the evening and the InGen staff had just entered the cafeteria for dinner. This was good because it would ensure they didn't overhear Dodgson's meeting. _

_"Thanks for coming to a last minute meeting. We've got important matters to discuss."_

_Raúl Lopez and Henry Wu nodded eagerly. Dodgson had already told them about their plans for tonight. The rest of the group listened since they didn't know what was going on._

_"George, I'm talking to Baselton, you'll finally have your revenge. Howard, you can go too or stay here."_

_King tapped the table with his fingers. "I'll stay."_

_Dodgson was annoyed, but he didn't show it. He figured King didn't want to get his other kneecap smashed in. Not that he blamed him—he thought King was being a whiny baby, but what else was new? _

_"That's fine. Roland?"_

_Tembo glanced in Dodgson's direction. He shined his rifle on his lap and shook his head. "I'm a mercenary, not a mobster."_

_"You can babysit the InGen staff while we're away conducting our business."_

_"I'll do that. King and I can handle them. They won't try anything smart or poof! They disappear."_

_"Good." Dodgson was glad he didn't have to explain to Tembo his job responsibilities. He turned to the rest of the group._

_"Tonight we're completing an assignment, or rather, I'm keeping a promise that I made awhile ago. Think of it as a field trip that kiddies go on. You're going to 'school' a special person. I expect all of you to teach this person to the best of your ability. Make sure he learns his lesson so well that he can it spit it out in his own blood."_

_"Sounds great," Lopez said. "He'll finally get what's coming to him."_

_"Exactly, you're on point, Raúl," Dodgson said and he noticed that Lopez beamed with pride. "The other part of this assignment is about our new recruit, Hank."_

_All eyes were glued to Wu now. If Wu felt uncomfortable by everyone's stares or unspoken expectations of him, he knew not to show it._

_"This is Hank's first assignment…we went over this earlier today and several weeks ago," Dodgson said and Wu nodded in agreement. "Tonight Hank will have a chance to prove himself; he'll learn what it's like to work on our team."_

_"He'll do fine, Lew," Sonya said. "Don't put so much pressure on him." She smiled in Wu's direction, but he didn't return the warm greeting. _

_"Hank, you give me everything when you're part of my staff. I won't settle for less. This assignment is the perfect test to see what you're made of."_

_Wu nodded._

_"If anyone has any doubts about this assignment concerning Hank's first task, or that scumbag who shall remain nameless, then leave the room. It's all or nothing."_

_No one raised their hands. The door opened and Gennaro walked in. _

_"Hello," he said and he received a few nods._

_"What exactly are we doing?" Lawala asked. He was annoyed with Dodgson's vagueness. _

_Dodgson thought for a moment. How could he phrase this? He had just said it was an assignment. That pretty much summed it up. He'd try to rephrase what he had mentioned earlier._

_"We're going to pay Dennis a little surprise visit. While you're there, you're to take care of him as you would your best friend who thrust a knife in your back. Understood?"_

_Lawala nodded._

_"It won't be hard…he'll be so drugged up that he won't be able to put up a fight. See how I make things easier for you guys?"_

_Lawala didn't respond, although the team around him laughed and thanked Dodgson for his foresight._

_"He's a traitor—he betrayed Biosyn, he injured two of our men, Baselton and Howard, and he laughed about it," Dodgson stated. "He has to be taught that you don't double cross Lewis Dodgson and Biosyn."_

_"One question." _

_"Yes, Raúl?"_

_"When do we get to pound his face in?"_

_"Midnight," Dodgson glanced at his watch and then looked at him. "That's only three hours from now."_

_"Midnight can't come fast enough." Lopez grinned with sadistic pleasure as he cracked his knuckles._

**oOo**

Dodgson emerged from the room first and made his way down to the cell. The police uniform fit him perfectly. Whistling, he twirled his nightstick in the air.

"A new disguise for each day," a voice from inside the cell said.

Dodgson turned towards the voice. Hands gripped the bars and he made out his former protégé's outline. It was dark inside the cell. Maybe his eyes were playing tricks on him.

"You don't like it?" Dodgson asked. "I call it 'Officer Krupke'."

"Clever."

Dodgson turned his back on him and walked to the desk where Contreras sat flipping through a wad of bonded bills. He sniffed the money and reclined in his chair.

"I love the smell of fresh mint."

"It's all yours," Dodgson said.

"I know, thank you very much for the unofficial raise." Contreras chuckled.

"It's American, if that's okay."

"It's fine, money is money in my book. Mind if I count it?"

"Go right ahead."

The rest of the group came back. They looked like free inmates wandering around the jail.

"Let's do this," Lopez demanded. "I'm ready to kick his teeth out."

Contreras stood up with a ring of keys. He found the right one and inserted it in the lock. Swinging the cell door open, he called to the prisoner inside: "Yoo-hoo, Dennis! You have company. Play nice."

The group entered in single file. Contreras slammed the cell entrance shut and locked it. He sat back in his chair and pulled the luggage closer to him. Dodgson and Gennaro smirked as they directed their attention to the cell.

"Let the games begin," Gennaro said.

**oOo**

Nedry held his head to get some relief from the excruciating headaches he had experienced for hours. Hearing the familiar clanging of the cell door, he stood up and saw he was sharing the cell with five more people. He heard Contreras say something about playing nice, and then focused his attention on the group in front of him.

"So the pimp let the whores out of the brothel." Nedry said, eyeing his visitors.

Someone outside of the cell drew in their breath.

"TEAR HIM APART!" Dodgson shouted.

Nedry glanced at him as if he were an annoying bug, and then grinned at Baselton. "Ready for me to break your other arm?"

"Ready when you are."

Nedry put up his fists in fighter's mode, ready to attack and defend himself at a second's notice. "C'mon, I don't have all day."

"It's night, you stupid ass," Lopez growled. "We know you don't know the time since you're locked in a cramped cell and can't see outside."

Nedry grinned. "Day or night, I'll still break his arm—and yours too, Dr. Bones, if you don't shut your lousy mouth!"

Lopez wasn't as impressed with Nedry as he was with himself. "Still a cocky bastard…that'll change after tonight."

"You came to knock sense into me? How sweet!"

"We came to _beat _it into you."

Dodgson slammed his nightstick across the bars. "Stop talking and get to work! I want to see blood and all I see is you yapping your fucking mouth!"

Lopez looked behind him and held his hand up to Dodgson, indicating that he should be patient.

"Would you like to join us, Lew?" Nedry asked in his best syrup sweet tone.

"I came to watch the show. I have a front row ticket."

"Lucky man. You came to see me kick everyone's ass. I'm honored." Nedry bowed as if he were an actor on Broadway.

"No, he came to see us kick _your_ ass," Lopez snarled from behind.

"Let's go then, I'm waiting." Nedry motioned with his hands 'come here' as if daring Lopez to be the first one to knock or beat sense into him.

Contreras spoke to them from outside the cell. "You guys better watch yourselves 'cause that bastard's tricky."

Nedry quickly raised his elbow and thrust it backwards. He grinned when his elbow smashed into someone's face. Seconds later, Lopez was cursing up a storm. _Yep, I got the bonehead._

"You guys are pathetic—I'm doing all the beating around here!"

Nedry rushed forward and opened his fingers like a claw. In less than a second, he jammed them into Baselton's eyes. Baselton grabbed Nedry's wrist and received a punch across the face for his efforts. Nedry slammed Baselton's back against the bars and watched as he slid down in a heap. For extra measure, he gave him a vicious kick in the stomach.

"You bet I'm tricky," Nedry said proudly. "Who's next?"

A sweet feminine voice cut through the thick air. "Hi!"

Nedry took a step back when he realized it was Sonya Durant who stood in front of him. The other men also stepped back to watch this confrontation.

"Hello Sonya."

"Hi Dennis. How do I look in my new outfit?"

"Ravishing. Orange is truly your color."

"It is…isn't it?" Sonya's innocent tone lowered into a menacing one.

"I'm going to be real with you, Sonya. I don't hit women, so if you want to sit out during this fight, I understand. I'd hate to give you a black eye or bust those luscious lips."

"What if I hit you first?"

He shook his head, and in a second's flash, Sonya punched him across the face. She grinned wildly, anticipating his response and the reaction of the others inside the cell with them.

"Now that's more like it!" Dodgson shouted.

Nedry licked his lips. "Your aggression is a turn-on. Wooooo!"

"Oh yeah?" Sonya punched him in the eye. She smiled when his skin reddened. .

"Keep going."

Sonya backed up against the cell's bars. Nedry stood a few feet in front of her waiting. Suddenly she flipped in the air, her legs straight and boots aimed at his face. She met her target: his face swung, spewing out blood. He rubbed his jaw and ignored the ringing in his head.

"Impressive, Sonya Blade."

"Glad ya like it." She wasted no time in delivering a chop to his neck. "Want more? Since you claim you don't hit women?" She shot out her fist and he snatched her wrist. Sonya's cold blue eyes appeared to melt as he twisted her wrist in an iron-vise grip.

"I didn't finish," Nedry said, catching his breath. "I said I don't hit women. I have no problem hitting _bitches_." He slammed his fist into her face and grinned when he heard her nose crack. "Don't play with me, little girl. You will lose."

He lifted her off the floor and threw her against the bars. Sonya's back smashed into the steel and she howled in pain. Nedry stood over her, ready to finish her off. He figured once she was out of the way, he could focus on the remaining four men. He grabbed her by the hair and let go when her foot shot out and crashed into his face. He had barely registered that attack when he opened his eyes and saw Sonya looming in front of him, a cat-like grin on her lips. Her hand was behind her back and suddenly snaked forward, quick as lightning.

"Spray it all in, Sonya!" Lopez yelled. "Make sure he can't see a centimeter in front of his eyes!"

"BITCH!" Nedry rubbed his eyes that stung from the pepper spray. His eyes felt as if someone had taken a burning match and then jammed it in both eyeballs. He waved his arms wildly to prevent the group attack that he knew would come full force now.

"That's my girl," he heard Dodgson say.

"_Woman_," Sonya corrected him.

"You're the woman!"

"That's more like it!"

The team surrounded Nedry and Dodgson beamed with pride. Nedry walked backwards, his hands pressed against his eyes in an effort to alleviate the stinging pain. By the end of the night Nedry would be in far more pain. Dodgson didn't care. No one was allowed to walk away from his employment or injure his workers. Everyone on the team knew that—Roland Tembo, George Lawala, Sonya Durant, Raúl Lopez, and now Henry Wu. Dodgson glanced at Wu who stood next to Sonya. He had convinced him to come as a way of "paying his dues". _You made a grave mistake, Dennis,_ Dodgson thought. _And now you'll pay dearly for it. _

Nedry wanted to strangle Sonya for that cheap move, but he couldn't see her or any of them. He heard them moving around and then there was silence. Swallowing the lump in his throat, he forced himself to open his eyes. He could barely make out Wu, who stood off to the side.

"Henry…you're acting really stupid coming down here trying to prove your worth to Dodgson."

Wu's icy voice penetrated the silence. "I didn't ask for your opinion."

Nedry refused to argue with him. He needed to defend himself for the oncoming attack. They would exploit his fear if he allowed it to peek through. Now they waited for the perfect opportunity to strike. Behind him, someone cracked their knuckles. He pivoted halfway around to see who it was and that's when Lopez took his first shot of the night, slamming him in the face.

Lopez's moment was finally here. Now he could put that arrogant bastard in line because Dodgson ordered his extinction. What Dodgson wanted, he always received, and Lopez was thrilled that he would finally beat his competition to a bloody pulp. Lopez felt everyone's eyes on him. They knew what was coming even before Lopez did. Nedry had turned around to see who cracked their knuckles and Lopez gave it to him—a clenched fist right in the nose. The force of the blow made Nedry stumble backwards. He tried to regain his balance, but it was too late. Sonya's boot got well-acquainted with his jaw. Lopez grinned sadistically as he watched the others take turns.

It was a more than a dream come true for him. It was heaven.

He could be Number One in the Biosyn Corporation, Number One in Dodgson's eyes, and Number One without the competition. With Nedry out of the way, he could be the prize employee and the one that Dodgson came to depend on. It was his time to shine. Nobody—not Tembo, not Sonya, not Lawala, and not even Henry Wu—would take that from him.

Sonya's leg flew in the air, her boot colliding with Nedry's throat. She was perfectly content to let on how much she enjoyed the assignment. She did whatever Dodgson wanted, without question. She knew Nedry had liked her and she admitted only to herself that she had enjoyed his company. He had made her laugh when no one else did. None of that mattered now. He had betrayed Biosyn and there was nothing worse and more despicable than a traitor. She had to admit that it was entertaining to betray a traitor. It was a twisted form of poetic justice.

The pepper spray came as a genuine shock to him, but to her, it was well worth it. She could've regretted what she was doing, but she didn't dwell on it. To her, it was a waste of time to pine away over things, good or bad. She wasn't participating for herself, but for the only man she showed absolute loyalty—Lewis Dodgson.

Gennaro looked on from outside the cell, pleased with what he saw. Every time he heard the loud whipping sound of Nedry getting punched across the face or kicked in the throat, he felt better about his decision to work with Dodgson. Gennaro always felt that Nedry got off lightly. Incarceration didn't change him for the better, it only worsened his attitude. He thought he could get away with betraying InGen for easy cash, but now he was finally paying the price.

"You're glad to witness this?" Dodgson asked.

"Absolutely. That little traitor is getting his just desserts. And you?"

"He has to learn. He thinks he can do whatever he wants and get away with it."

The calm note in Dodgson's voice spooked Gennaro. He glanced at Dodgson, who kept his stare focused on Nedry and the team.

"What's taking place now is for his own good and the good of my team. He's paying for injuring two of my employees and the team is learning what happens when you fuck me over…he'll be lucky if he's standing on his two feet by the end of the night."

Someone kicked Nedry in the chest, knocking the breath out of him. He was shoved forward and someone slammed him on the back. He almost fell to the ground, when a large hand grabbed his shoulder and held him firmly in place. He squinted, trying to make out who had hit him. Then his eyes widened in recognition.

Lawala stared back at him.

It was only a few seconds, but it felt like an hour. Lawala's hateful glare was frightening and Nedry stared back in total disbelief. Blood trailed from the corner of his lips and dribbled down his chin. A question formed on his lips, but he uttered no sound. Lawala pulled back his clenched fist and boxed him hard in the face.

Wu shivered. The cell's cold iron bars pressed against his back, chilling his skin underneath the orange jumpsuit. He took a tentative step forward, but still didn't participate. He would never admit that he was deeply disturbed by what he was witnessing.

The assault against Nedry resembled a spaghetti-western gang beating in which the ring of villains enclose the hero and take turns punching and kicking him. The team was relentless as each round of beatings increased in severity. At first, they had given him time to recover, even if it was just a few seconds. Now they weren't showing any mercy. They punched, kicked, kneed, stomped, slammed, and twisted any body part they could get their hands on.

When Lawala had steadied Nedry, Wu thought he was going to help him. By then Nedry was a mess of blood and sweat, bluish-purple bruises discolored his skin, and a black shiner was forming around his right eye. Lawala had slammed him with so much force that Nedry's neck snapped back horrendously—Wu was afraid it would tear off his shoulders.

From then on Wu tried not to watch. He would fix his attention on another point in the cell, the far wall, the ceiling, or the bench. He didn't want to appear afraid, but it was too much for him to accept. In his attempt to feel better and make sense about what was going on, he convinced himself that Nedry had it good. Wu knew he had strange tactics for dealing with how he felt about everything now, but he didn't let it stop him from lying to himself. For instance: even though Baselton put in his own shots, he left it to Lopez, Lawala, and Sonya to do most of the dirty work. Tembo wasn't present and that was a good thing for Nedry. Tembo would've torn him apart like a lion ripping its prey to pieces.

The best thing to do was to look as though he were participating, or at least, encouraging what was taking place. Wu stood with his arms folded across his chest in a stolid manner. Several feet away, Nedry dropped to his knees and leaned forward, coughing up blood. Wu closed his eyes, fighting back a wave of nausea. He was forced to open his eyes when he heard the loud sickening smack of a body hit the concrete. Lopez laughed, his voice echoing in the cell. Nedry got to his feet like a baby learning to walk for the first time. Dodgson wasn't lying about him being drugged up. Nedry was sluggish; he was slow to react and defend himself. He stumbled around awkwardly, trying to leave the circle. Sonya pushed him down and when he got back up again, Lopez slammed his neck.

Wu wondered what would happen if it were _him_ in the middle of the circle. He blocked out that idea and tried to concentrate on a distant memory of meeting Hammond for the first time or the first dinosaur he had cloned successful—anything to mentally remove him from here and remind him of a time where he was happy. It was impossible to think with all the commotion in the cell. Every time Nedry got up or tried to maintain his balance, he was punched in the face, or knocked down again. Wu was surprised that he'd been able to withstand the beating. Maybe those two years in prison had toughened him or maybe he wasn't the type to surrender. Wu swore if he were in the middle of the circle, he would pretend that he was unconscious if it meant the ordeal would end quicker. He felt the knobby end of a nightstick prodding his back and turned around.

Dodgson.

"What's your problem?"

Wu's lips quivered. He glanced behind him quickly—just in time to see Lopez deliver a backhand punch to Nedry's face. He turned back to Dodgson and shrugged.

"You don't want to participate in the action."

_In the action_. Why did he act like it was something to be enjoyed? Dodgson made it sound as if they had been invited to a gentlemen's club where voluptuous strippers were offering more than a lap-dance.

His fear left him and now Wu was thoroughly repulsed. The group had whole-heartedly turned against their own teammate at Dodgson's command. He remembered their chilling conversation where Dodgson made it clear that he despised traitors. Because of this, Wu never viewed himself as a traitor to InGen. He wouldn't allow himself to think that way. There were other reasons why he didn't consider himself to be a traitor. He was looking out for his own interests, and really, what was wrong with that? It was about self-preservation.

And yet, other thoughts haunted him. Didn't it occur to Lopez, Sonya, Lawala, or Baselton, that Dodgson could easily turn against them as he had Nedry? It meant Dodgson could easily turn against him, and Wu didn't want to think about that. What if Dodgson ordered the team to "_put Wu in his place_"?

"It's his fault you didn't get the recognition you worked hard for. If not for him, your name would be out there. Take back what's rightfully yours, Hank. Dennis got caught working for me, and in turn, that delayed the park's opening. Your fame was right around the corner, but then he—" Dodgson pointed at Nedry, "screwed it up for you. You have every right to take your frustration out on him. Fame is yours, if you still want it."

Dodgson moved back as Wu stepped forward with renewed confidence. This was it. If Wu was going to participate in beating up his former InGen co-worker, he would do it for one person…and one person only.

Himself.

**oOo**

Contreras had his back turned the entire time. He had waited patiently for the beating to begin. When Nedry had shouted "_bitch!_" he figured the brunette—Sonya—had sprayed him with the pepper spray that he had given her. Contreras liked her vicious streak. He didn't turn around to watch the grisly scene. Just listening to it was enough pleasure. He wanted to count the cash he had earned. He took out one stack of bills that were bound together and removed the rubber band. Contreras hoped Nedry heard the _frip-frap_ sound of him counting the cash. His prize money.

"Un ciento…dos ciento…tres ciento…cuatro ciento..."

**oOo**

_That crooked cop_, Nedry thought as dizziness blanketed him. Contreras counted his money in an obnoxious loud voice. He didn't try to cover up what he was allowing to take place. He wished Muldoon had believed him when they were stranded on Isla Sorna. People do stupid things for money and Contreras was no different. Neither was Wu, who suddenly punched him in the throat. Nedry collapsed to the cold floor as Contreras' voice drifted away. Before he could get to his feet, someone—Sonya or Lawala—kicked him in the ribs. A scream of pain almost escaped from him and he bit down on his tongue. Tears stung his eyes from where Sonya had sprayed him. Immense pain devoured him and he knew if he got back up again, they would continue. Not that he had much of a choice.

There was no way out of the cell. He couldn't run from them. He hadn't been able to defend himself because he was drugged up. He was only on his feet because of sheer will. The drug Contreras gave him made him feel as if he were wading through a lake of cement and carrying fifty pounds of steel on his shoulders. He had the desire to fight back, but his energy had been zapped hours ago. He never had the advantage to begin with, but it didn't mean he'd give up and make it easier for them. Rather than cower in the corner, he took the beating head on. He wanted to curl up in a protective ball the entire time, but he would never give any of them, especially Dodgson, the satisfaction of an early defeat.

Even so, he knew they wouldn't leave until the job was finished. Nedry knew "finished" meant they would leave him for dead; or at least, badly beaten in pool of his own blood. Dodgson had that much control over the team. He couldn't control Nedry and they both knew it. _Which is why this is happening to me_, Nedry thought. He knew Dodgson was making an example out of him. Nedry could deal with that—if Dodgson was still pissed off that he went back to InGen to warn them of his screwy plans, then let him stay pissed off until the world vomited on itself.

What he couldn't deal with was how the team took satisfaction in demolishing him. He had been beaten while incarcerated and he had beaten up other inmates. He had fought viciously and even broke an inmate's nose. What he endured now made his entire two years in prison look like a children's obstacle course. His problem was with Lewis Dodgson, and since Dodgson was the ringleader, they followed his orders without question or objection. Lopez was having the time of his life, and so it wasn't a surprise that his attacks were the most brutal. The others…that's all he could think in his mind when it concerned Lawala and Sonya. _The others._ Never mind that he had helped Lawala when he was blinded on their second assignment or that he had shared laughs with Sonya. None of that mattered.

Sometimes he heard them mutter "Roland" under their breath as if they were avenging Tembo. That was mostly Sonya. There was no reason to avenge him. Tembo wasn't dead or exiled. If anyone was supposed to be dead, it was Nedry. The team conveniently forgot that he had been ostracized the moment he refused to carry out an assignment for Dodgson. He had been marked for death the only time he made it clear that his answer was "_No_". He had other reasons for leaving the team, but that was one of many.

Deep down inside, Nedry hoped someone understood him, especially Lawala, but he was forced to accept that he never had anyone on his side. The personal baggage was too much and he could feel his sanity stretching like a rubber-band on the verge of snapping.

He thought of the federal prison where he had served a fraction of his sentence. He gave the warden, Daniel Walker, a hard time. Walker was compassionate, but firm. The entire two years he was there, Walker had tried to talk sense into him. Nedry wasn't sure why he thought of Walker now. Maybe it had to do with the time Walker had lectured him about taking responsibility for his actions. It had been on the same day Hammond had visited with Muldoon, Arnold, and Gennaro. Nedry remembered that day very well—he had been outraged (and perhaps, understandably so) at Hammond for accusing him of selling info to Dodgson, even though he had been locked up for two years.

The prison staff had to restrain him and Walker sent him to solitary confinement for thirty days. Before he was placed in "the hole" (or "the box", as it was sometimes called), Walker had told him he hoped one day he'd take responsibility for his actions. _I'm taking responsibility now, Mr. Walker…and it doesn't seem worth it…I tried to do the right thing…I really did…only by then it was too late. _He wondered what Walker would say to him if he were to explain everything that happened since the night he was "freed"—the irony being that he wasn't free under Dodgson's supervision—it was more like tyranny. He closed his eyes, wishing he could speak to Walker.

Someone shouted, interrupting his thoughts. Without opening his eyes, he knew it was Dodgson. Dodgson used the word "fuck" as if it were a comma.

"_WAKE_ _HIM THE FUCK UP! I DON'T WANT HIM FALLING ASLEEP!_"

Nedry turned to face Dodgson when Lopez pulled and yanked his hair back, exposing his neck. Nedry tried freeing himself, but his attempts were feeble since his strength had crumbled from all the abuse. Lopez spat a gob of saliva in his face and then smashed his face into the cell's hard floor. A burst of pain shot through Nedry's temple, he felt like Lopez had hammered nails across his forehead. He lay crumpled on the floor taking deep breaths. He wasn't ready to give up yet. Groggily, he got to his feet. A thick syrupy clump of blood rose in his mouth and the metallic taste made him want to throw up.

"You're asking for more," Lopez growled.

Nedry knew right then he would get one shot in. One shot was all he needed. He needed to show them that they hadn't broken him. Nedry whipped around and spat the thick wad of blood in Lopez's eye. A broken grin lit up his bruised face. _Perfect._

Lopez didn't find it amusing. "Son of a bitch," he snarled, as he wiped the clump of blood and saliva from his eye and cheek. He kicked Nedry in the stomach and he crashed down to the floor in a heap, too weak to break the fall.

The best thing he could do was get to his feet again. Before he could take another step, his arms were twisted behind his back.

"Go ahead—fight it." It was Lopez. "I'll rip your arm out."

Nedry's legs buckled, but he forced himself to remain strong. He wouldn't be weak—not in front of Lopez.

Wu stepped in front of him and the two traitors locked eyes. Nedry bit down on his split bottom lip when he saw the sneer plastered across Wu's face. _Wu doesn't know what he's getting himself into. He wants to chase after fame or money or whatever Dodgson promised him._ Even as Nedry met his cold eyes, he sensed Wu's uncertainty about his decision. As much pain as he was in, he felt obligated to talk sense into Wu, to warn him not to follow in his footsteps. Not that it would make much of a difference, but it was worth a try.

"Don't be stupid," Nedry sputtered. His voice was gravelly as if he had swallowed a cup of pebbles. "You know this isn't what you want." Behind him, Lopez twisted his arms harder.

Wu shrugged as if he had been asked about his favorite ice cream and couldn't make a decision. He pulled back a fist and smashed Nedry's eye. He did it again and snickered.

Another wave of blood rose in Nedry's throat and leaked from his lips. He spat a wad of blood on the ground and Wu stepped back, revolted.

"You're the stupid one," Wu said coldly, balling up his fist and striking him again.

"Good work, Hank!"

Wu turned around and saw Dodgson give him two thumbs up. Seeing that made him feel slightly better than before. At least now he was showing Dodgson that he was capable of doing anything asked of him. Without a second thought, Wu struck Nedry in the face and he was delighted to hear Dodgson's applause in the background.

Dodgson was exhilarated by what he witnessed. _Why did Dennis ever think he could get over on me?_ Not only was it teaching a lesson to Nedry, as he told Gennaro before, but it was a severe and clear warning to the rest of the team, in case they ever thought of pulling the same crap. Dodgson was ruthless; he was satisfied with that fact about himself and he wanted his employees to be well aware of his cruel side. While Hammond spared no expense to build a dream theme park, Dodgson had no problem putting one of his workers (or ex-workers as this case proved to be) in line. How he put them in line did not wound or soften him. He did what he had to do. He had earned his reputation for being a man of extreme ambition and would do anything—even destroy others—to achieve his goals.

His next goal was already in the process of becoming a reality: soon he would own Isla Nublar and Jurassic Park. He could open it under Biosyn's name, and rake in the money that came in. But, as he told Gennaro earlier, he had one little problem that needed to be solved. And that one problem was getting solved promptly and efficiently thanks to the loyalty his team displayed. He decided it was time for show-and-tell.

"You see Sonya?" Dodgson asked Gennaro, pointing her out. Sonya waved to them and went right back to work. "She's one helluva kicker. She's the sole female presence on the team, but she gives the guys a run for their money. Strong legs, wild side, mean streak, and a beauty to top it off—she's the total package."

"Nice," Gennaro commented.

"Then there's Lopez." Dodgson pointed him out. Lopez didn't look up at the sound of his name; he was busy completing the assignment. "A bit of a hothead, but he's passionate, knows about dinosaurs, and is always willing to go above and beyond. You need someone who loves to live in the past all the time."

Gennaro nodded, but said nothing.

"You know about George Baselton, so I'll just skip to George Lawala. Sharpshooter and the strong silent type. A bit sensitive, but does as he's told…most times. He doesn't get involved in the team's antics. He just goes in, does his job, and calls it a day. Valuable mercenary, just like Roland Tembo. Knows how to use a gun." Dodgson grinned. "And that's my staff, Henry's my new acquisition…he's still in the probation period, but he's proving himself to be an invaluable employee so far…"

Dodgson continued to speak about his team as if they were commodities that could be brought and sold—and not people with personalities and feelings. It was just as well since he didn't believe that Nedry was someone with a personality and feelings—he was expendable and could be easily replaced. By the end of tonight, Dodgson hoped his team got the message that they too were expendable, and if they dared step out of line….well, that would be the end of them.

**oOo**

"What are you looking for?" Arnold asked. They had been in the control room for the past hour with little said between all three of them. He wondered again where Dodgson and Gennaro had gone with the Biosyn group. It definitely had nothing to do with 'business regarding the park' or whatever they wanted to call it.

"Flights," Malcolm said. He kept his eyes glued to the computer screen.

"Flights? To the States?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

"Because I'm thi—"

"Quiet!" Muldoon shouted from his workstation in the control room. "Both of you!"

Arnold moved away from his console. "What the hell is wrong with you?!"

**oOo**

"Two years."

Lopez's tone was venomous.

"Two. Years. Do you hear me? For two_ fucking _years, I had to put my dreams on hold and wait for Dodgson to bust you out of prison when _you_ were the stupid one to get caught."

He pressed the nightstick harder against Nedry's neck to the point where it vibrated in his hands. Lopez chuckled and pressed his knee sharply into Nedry's back to increase the painful strain. Nedry was on his knees and every time he tried to stand up, Lopez put more pressure on his back and neck.

"Then you come along…and the whole time, I'm second best to a pathetic nerd like you. I knew everything Dodgson wanted to know. And you? You're just a disgruntled employee from InGen. A bitter hacker who types over one hundred words per minute. Hate to break it to ya, but you're nothing special—and you never were."

Lopez yanked back the nightstick closer and laughed sadistically as Nedry tried to pull it away from his neck.

"I was further down Dodgson's priority list thanks to you. You thought I should be content working behind you, while he sang high praises for a scumbag like you. How do you repay him? You backstab him like the filthy traitor you are. I'm not crying over it because now he knows who he should've picked as number one. Now I can have the position you stole from me."

Lopez let him go and Nedry collapsed face first onto the concrete floor. Despite the mind-blowing pain, Nedry managed to crawl to the bench on all fours, while coughing up blood and gasping for breath. The whole time he heard Lopez right behind him, but he forced himself to continue forward even though he wanted to black out. Finally, he was able to place one hand on the bench, so he could pull himself forward.

"Where are your witty remarks? Are you brain dead from all the shots you've taken? If not, then you will be." He raised the nightstick over his head. "Let's see how many words you can sound out after this."

Lopez slammed the nightstick on the back of Nedry's neck and the hand grasping the bench hit the ground.

**oOo**

"Something's going on," Muldoon said. "It has to do with Dennis and Biosyn." Why was it so hard for Arnold and anyone to understand him?

"How do you know?" Arnold asked.

"I just know. Gennaro's sleeping with the enemy."

"I can see why you'd think he's with Dodgson," Malcolm said. "He's very much about his own interests. What did you see that confirmed this?"

Muldoon explained about the suitcase scene in Hammond's office.

"So you think he was paid off—to do what exactly?"

"I don't know; something to do with Dennis and Contreras. They claim they're going on a business trip regarding our park and company…so Gennaro probably sold off all InGen rights to Dodgson. I have this gut feeling about it."

Malcolm nodded. "I've never trusted Gennaro. He's got a one track mind when it comes to the park."

"And he's money driven," Arnold added.

Muldoon's eyebrows rose. Arnold thought the same way? "Glad to know I'm not the only one who thinks that way about him."

"We all feel the same way towards Gennaro," Arnold said, as though this was obvious news to everyone. "He has no friends on InGen since he wants to be pals with Lew Dodgson."

**oOo**

"You're a good man, Donald Gennaro," Contreras said.

Gennaro smiled like an alligator. "Some think otherwise."

"To hell with the doubters. You're letting this jack-ass," Contreras pointed towards the cell, "get what he deserves. Your employees didn't even possess half the _cojónes _to do to him what Dodgson's doing." He saw the puzzled look Gennaro gave him. "You know what _cojónes_ means, right?"

Gennaro shook his head.

"Balls. They didn't have the balls to do anything."

"They're weaklings."

"Not Dodgson; he's something else," Contreras said, grinning.

Dodgson directed his team from outside the cell. "We have twenty minutes left before we leave here," he said. "Huddle everyone." The group sauntered away from Nedry and got close to the bars so that they could listen to Dodgson's orders. "As we all know, there are three things that mean a lot to Dennis. Does anyone want to name them for me? Gold stars if you get it right."

"His cash," Baselton said.

"Good. What's another one?"

"His computer programming certification," Sonya said.

"Yes! Any others?"

"His candy bars," Lopez said and the group laughed.

"Yesss," Dodgson said impatiently. "But I'm not talking about his sweet tooth…think, guys. It's not that hard."

The group was stumped.

"Alright, I'll tell you." Dodgson looked past them and banged his nightstick on the bars. "Look alive, George! I'm talking to Lawala, not you Baselton. You're falling asleep on me. I'm not having that."

"I'm here, Dr. Dodgson," Lawala muttered.

"You better be…now…if Denny's license is important to him—what does he need when he designs new computer systems?"

"His mind," Lopez offered.

"Keep going."

"His fingers," Wu said. He made a typing motion.

"Bingo."

Dodgson walked over to the table where Contreras sat, and took out a pencil and laid it on the desk for all of them to see. Gennaro stepped back as Dodgson raised his nightstick and smashed it on the pencil. He pointed at the splintered and broken pencil, finished with his demonstration.

"Am I clear as crystal or do I have to show you again?" The group didn't say anything. Dodgson pointed to the nightstick Lopez had used before. "Fix him so he can't type his name."

Inside the cell, Nedry stood still with his forehead pressed against the wall. He held himself as if trying to keep warm in the baking cell. He breathed slowly and rubbed his eyes. They were still watering, but the scorching sensation had lessened. He turned his neck and it stiffened with cramps. That was because of Lopez and his wielding the nightstick like a toy. He knew they weren't finished when he heard Dodgson say: _Am I clear as crystal or do I have to show you again?_

Lawala and Lopez yanked him away from the wall and forced him to kneel down in front of the bench. Sonya sat on the bench and grabbed his right arm as if trying to rip it out. Lopez assisted Lawala in holding him down so that he couldn't squirm out of position. Sonya kissed his fingers.

"Do you like that?" she asked.

He let his body go limp and didn't respond. She took out a white handkerchief that had been stuffed underneath the jumpsuit. Sonya spat a gob of saliva on it.

"C'mon Denny, I'm trying to help you."

She dabbed the handkerchief on his open facial wounds, making them sting. Nedry flinched and pulled away, but she kept on. It was like Sonya to play on how he felt about her. Why didn't he see it coming? Nedry ignored her although if he were feeling like his normal self, he would've spat in her face. He couldn't wait for the night to be over.

"Who's gonna do the job?" Lawala asked.

"I am," Lopez said.

"No, you're not," Wu said.

"The hell I am."

"Hold him down; you already got your shots in."

"Who's gonna do the job?" Lawala asked again.

"_I am_." Baselton announced.

"King George the Second is still mad because of his broken arm," Sonya said, laughing.

Baselton stretched his arms and motioned her to move down so he could sit in her place. "The son of a bitch broke my arm and thought it was the funniest thing." He snatched Nedry's arm from her and pulled it forward. "Hold him back, I just need his arm." Baselton examined Nedry's wrist, hand, and fingers. "They say karma is you get what you put into life. Isn't that right?"

"Stop with the philosophical shit and smash his hand," Lopez said.

Baselton ignored him. "Are you going to answer the question? Or do I have to break all your fingers to find out?"

Lopez sneered. "Break all his fingers to find out."

Nedry blinked.

Baselton squeezed his wrist moved to his thumb. He bent it far back, twisted it, and snapped it. There was a sick stomach-churning cracking noise as he did the same to his index finger. The sound echoed in the silent cell. Nedry stared straight ahead.

"This little piggy went to market…this little piggy went to buy roast beef…" Baselton recited as he broke his fingers. This opportunity was golden to him, especially after Nedry had broken his arm. He had wanted to get back at him for a long time, so when Dodgson told him of the little plan to teach Nedry a lesson, he was more than happy to oblige. "Perfect. Henry?"

Wu stepped over with the nightstick.

**oOo**

"Why do you care about what happens to him? He wouldn't spare you the same favor, and we both know it, Robert."

Muldoon took a quick sip from his flask.

Arnold stared at him, waiting for an answer. "Well? Explain yourself."

"It's not right what they're doing."

"You don't even know what's going on," Arnold said, exasperated. "None of us do!"

"I knew what was happening when I saw Gennaro accept money from Lew Dodgson."

"What does that have to do with anything?"

"I already told you," Muldoon snapped. "I'm not repeating myself again."

Malcolm sighed. They had a long night ahead of them.

**oOo**

The nightstick crashed on the hand that had now turned an ugly shade of blackish-purple. Wu concentrated on the task and buried his conscience in the back of his mind where it wouldn't bother him. Something in his mind told him this was ridiculous and going too far, but still, he had to push it away so he wouldn't dwell on what he was doing. He hoped that Dodgson had missed his slight hesitation when he first started. He smashed the nightstick down again, and a sour taste invaded his throat. Wu stepped away, knowing he had done enough.

Sonya winced. Lopez and Lawala simply watched. For some reason, Nedry wasn't responding in the way they had hoped. Dodgson wasn't happy about that and carried on outside of the cell, yelling at them.

"Why isn't he screaming bloody murder? I want to hear him fucking scream for his life!"

A croaking sound that started out as a low chuckle and grew into raucous snickering filled the cell. Wu couldn't believe it. Nedry laughed as if he was watching a comedy. Wu looked at the rest of the group to see their reactions. Lopez shook his head in disbelief. Lawala shrugged. Sonya glared at Nedry and Baselton stared in amazement. Wu threw the nightstick at the bars, frustrated. It was just like Nedry to give everyone the opposite reaction they were hoping for, and he kept laughing louder and harder.

"Keep laughing, since you think it's so funny," Wu growled.

Baselton yanked Nedry's left arm. "I hope you can type with your toes. Let's see if you're still laughing then."

"I have a better idea," Lopez said. "Let's give him one more round."

Baselton nodded and they hauled Nedry back to his feet.

**oOo**

"How could you even _think_ of defending him after everything he's done?" Arnold asked, not hiding the anger in his voice. "Have you lost your mind?"

"It would appear I have," Muldoon said.

"Why? How in the world?"

"If you would just listen—"

"There's _nothing_ to listen to or understand! You've taken up for him as if you're his friend and completely erased his record."

Muldoon glanced at Malcolm, hoping he would understand. "Dr. Malcolm?"

Malcolm shook his head. For the moment, he would not get involved.

**oOo**

Lopez delivered the final blow: a swift uppercut. Nedry slammed hard on his back onto the cell's concrete floor. He was finished. He couldn't get up anymore and they knew it. His head felt like it had been drenched in boiling water. The cell was spinning and every time he looked around, he swore the walls would crash down on him. He tried sitting up, but didn't have the strength. He swallowed and coughed, tasting blood and mucus. His body was sore and ached, from his neck and shoulders, arms and neck, down to his thighs and legs. He shivered although he was cooking in his jumpsuit. Nedry felt as if he had taken a bath in his own sweat. Perspiration flooded his face and neck, his groin and underarms. His stomach felt like they had dropped a bowling ball on it. He struggled to breathe and ended up taking in uneven gasps. Blood streamed from his lips and nose and the open cuts on his face stung. He heard them moving around and then they stood over him, admiring their work. Out of his one good eye, he saw them standing over him. His other eye was swollen shut.

The first person looking down at him was Wu. Nedry opened his mouth to speak, but no sound came out except for his labored breathing. He wanted to tell Wu that he was foolish to follow in his footsteps. Dodgson was using him—just like he used everybody. Wu smirked and a chill washed over Nedry. The Henry Wu who stood over him was not the same Henry Wu that Hammond had hired. Nedry had known him for more than five years and out of everyone on the InGen staff, Wu was the person he had gotten along with the most. They were on friendly terms during the construction of the park and had interacted a lot since they were the youngest of the InGen staff. Now Wu stared down at him with total contempt. _He wanted to show his loyalty to Dodgson._ _That's the only reason he was a part of this. He's just been initiated._ Wu was making a huge mistake…but Nedry knew he'd have to find that out for himself the hard way.

Nedry glanced at Baselton. Baselton wore a mocking grin on his face, proud that he had gotten his revenge. Nedry knew the only reason Baselton participated was to get back at him for breaking his arm. Baselton was a follower like King, obeying Dodgson's every demand. Nedry had never gotten to know him past that. Nor did he want to.

Lopez's dark eyes gleamed of stark hatred. He grinned, excited that he would finally be Lewis Dodgson's number one employee. Nedry met his eyes and they stared at each other, silent, one triumphant and the other defeated. Nedry knew why Lopez hated him to the extent that he did, even though it was ridiculous. Lopez's jealousy stemmed from the fact that Dodgson prized Nedry above everyone else because he knew about Jurassic Park. He had worked there, so of course he knew more about it. It's why Dodgson depended on him for past assignments. But Lopez was always in a heated rage, feeling he should be first since he was a paleontologist and studied dinosaurs. That's what it came down to: a stupid professional rivalry. In the raft, Nedry remembered telling Muldoon that he wasn't fighting against Lopez or competing with him to be Dodgson's star employee. That was the absolute truth. Nedry didn't care about the superficiality of being Dodgson's favorite. He just wanted his paycheck, but Lopez had made everything personal. The worst blows had come from Lopez. Lopez had beaten him as if Nedry had shot and killed his mother.

Sonya stood next to Lopez and Nedry felt a growing lump in his throat. She looked at him thoughtfully, but the cold sparkle in her eyes revealed her true self. She was glad to be involved in his beat-down. He looked at her, his chest still heaving as he took ragged breaths. He couldn't believe he had felt something for her at one time. It wasn't love or lust. He had been genuinely attracted to her even though he knew she would prefer Tembo or Lopez. Nedry had meant no harm the first night they met at the prison. He had always wanted to tell her that. He just said stupid and sarcastic things on whim, sometimes on purpose and sometimes…he didn't know anymore. He had admired her audacity and the way she'd go along with everything, no matter how crazy it sounded. He wanted to make her laugh, and he did, a few times. Now he realized the one thing he admired about her was her flaw. She was loyal—but also self-centered. Sonya was all about herself. That's why he liked her, he reasoned, because she reminded him of a time when he was self-centered. She had amazed him before, but now he hated her and wished he could rip out her throat. He hated her, just as he hated everyone else in the cell, especially Lawala.

George Lawala.

Nedry tried to read the expression on his face. Maybe it was hard because he was drifting towards unconsciousness or maybe it was because he couldn't stand to glance at Lawala. Lawala stared down at him—he didn't smile or grin. He didn't appear jubilant about his humiliation like Lopez, but he didn't appear remorseful either. Of all the people in the cell, Lawala was the last person he expected to be involved. Nedry had no friends on the team, but Lawala was the closest to being a 'friend' in the loosest sense of the word. He thought Lawala was better than the rest and he wanted to say so, but he couldn't bring himself to mumble a syllable.

He wanted to ask Lawala what he had done to make him participate. What did he do to offend him so badly? Was he angry at Nedry for hating Muldoon? Maybe it was none of those things. Maybe Dodgson manipulated him just as he manipulated everyone else. Maybe it was out of fear…. Nedry concentrated on the bars behind Lawala. He heard the familiar sound of a cell door being opened. He had heard that horrible steel clanging sound over a thousand times, during his two years in the federal correctional facility in upstate California. He looked at Lawala again. Lawala maintained his icy stare. Nedry forced himself to avert his eyes from Lawala. It hurt too much to look into the eyes of the man he had helped months ago.

Now he heard footsteps thundering in the cell. They were coming towards him. Not one person, but two. One set of footsteps was much louder than the other, more demanding and more urgent. The circle of enemies that had gloated and stared down at him, now parted to make way for the two men. The first man standing off to the side and smirking was Gennaro. The second man, his demeanor brutal and ruthless, was none other than Lewis Dodgson. Nedry was aware of their presence during the beating. They had stood outside of the cell and watched the entire time, enjoying the show.

Then, as if things couldn't get to worse, they began to _applaud_—all of them, even Lawala clapped as if they had witnessed the most amazing show. Shortly afterwards, Dodgson signaled them to stop and that's when Nedry heard him speak over the loud buzzing in his mind. Or was it Gennaro? He couldn't tell anymore.

"You finally got what was coming to you and I'm glad I was there to witness it. I'm sure Mr. Hammond would've been pleased."

Nedry looked up and saw Gennaro smiling down at him. Hammond wouldn't have wanted this. Or would he? He didn't know anymore.

"Robert Muldoon sends his regards." Gennaro punched Nedry across the face and then stepped aside.

"Dennis?"

This time it was Dodgson who spoke to him. Nedry sat up as best he could and pressed himself against the wall as if trying to melt into it. He held his injured hand and protected his smashed fingers. Nedry knew Dodgson wouldn't leave until he spoke to him. He stared straight through Dodgson and didn't budge when he felt the cold end of a nightstick shoved under his jaw and jolted upwards. Dodgson was forcing Nedry to face him, so he could humiliate him more. He turned away and the nightstick was removed.

"Listen to me when I'm talking to you." Dodgson's teeth were clenched, but his voice was calm as if he spoke about clouds. "It didn't have to be this way, but you made this choice. I didn't make it for you—no one did. _You_ brought this on yourself. Don't shake your head; you know this is entirely your fault. I'll gladly explain why this beating you received was done to teach you a lesson.

"First off, when you work for me, you work _only_ for me. I might carry out industrial espionage, but I never expect my own to betray me or act against Biosyn. As an honest representative of that company, I cannot allow you to taint us in any way, shape, or form. You can't go around casting Biosyn in a bad light. That's out of the question.

"As far as InGen is concerned—I don't give a damn. Remember: InGen and Biosyn are two competing companies. What you did in InGen; that stays with them. As for Biosyn, it's different. When you work for one company and then work for a different one, you have to adjust. And you didn't, Dennis; you didn't adjust well at all. What you got away with in InGen is intolerable at Biosyn. For fuck's sake, I shouldn't have to tell you this. Different companies, different policies, different procedures. It's that simple."

Nedry refused to make eye contact with Dodgson. He could barely speak and even if he could, he had no idea what he would say. His bravado chose the worst time to abandon him. He felt like he had a huge rock in his stomach and his mouth and throat felt like he had swallowed sandpaper. Dodgson snapped his fingers in front of his face.

"Pay attention. I'm not finished."

"He used to tune out Hammond when he wasn't arguing with him," Gennaro said, and Dodgson waved him off.

"I don't give a crap about InGen. John Hammond lying in a hospital bed paralyzed for the rest of his life doesn't move me to tears. Robert Muldoon scarred from a fight with the raptors he's been hired to take care of does not break my heart. Please. That's his fucking job—to take care of the animals. Being attacked comes with the territory when you work with predators. He knows that. That's why I didn't buy your sob-story about those two. Hammond's careless and Muldoon's a complainer. What happened to them is _their_ problem. InGen's issue, not mine. Biosyn is exempt from responsibility in that situation."

Nedry looked up at Dodgson. He couldn't believe what he was hearing. Many people assumed that he had no conscience and that he deliberately set out to hurt Hammond. They painted him to be a cold-blooded man, who would do anything and go through anybody to achieve his monetary goals. Nothing could be further from the truth, but regardless, people would believe whatever they wanted as long as it suited their agendas. _It's Dodgson who doesn't give a shit whom he harms,_ Nedry thought. _He's the one that wanted the raptors. Him and Lopez._

"Your heroics were for nothing. A huge waste of your time. It's funny how all that running around you did to warn InGen only opened the door for me to infiltrate their island and pathetic staff. Best of all, I didn't have to pay you one red cent. I have you to thank for that, you know. I saved hundreds of thousands of dollars because of your determination and stupidity. Right now, InGen is cowering in the palm of my hand. I couldn't have planned it any better."

"He thought he was brilliant," Lopez said, laughing.

Nedry tried to find another point in the cell to focus on, a point that wasn't occupied or blocked by anyone in the cell. He needed to make himself mentally escape, even though it was too late. He glanced again and this time met Lopez's furious stare, and noticed how quickly he broke into a grin. Soon the whole team was grinning down on him while Dodgson talked about how much he despised betrayal. Nedry wished everyone would leave. Didn't they humiliate him enough? He blinked. Tears were burning his eyes, threatening to course down his cheeks—and it wasn't from the pepper spray, mace, or whatever the hell Sonya had sprayed in his eyes.

No.

He wouldn't cry. Not in front of Dodgson or the rest of them. Dodgson continued talking, his voice sounding like a monotonous blurb in Nedry's ears. Without his consent, one tear escaped and made its way down his face, stinging an open wound.

"Are those tears I see?" Dodgson asked, not hiding his glee. "Go ahead; it's okay to cry…that's what you should be doing." He laughed and the team (except for Lawala, who maintained an icy expression) laughed along too.

Nedry wanted badly to spit in his face, but he couldn't move a muscle. He had never felt so angry, so belittled, so alone…and so betrayed.

"Let's get back to serious matters. You left me. You betrayed me. You left thinking you could fool me into believing that you accepted my last assignment. I'm not stupid, Dennis. I'm not as dumb as you think I am. I was onto you the moment you left. No one decides to just walk away. I put a hit on you because I'd rather you be dead. Dead and rotting God knows where, than squealing behind bars so that you could earn a lighter sentence. If you're going to leave, it'll be on my terms—not yours—do you understand? My. Fucking. Terms."

Nedry gave a half nod to demonstrate he heard what Dodgson was saying. If he didn't, Dodgson would start yelling and cursing up a storm. By now, Nedry would do anything to make him leave, even if it meant showing how broken he was by the ordeal. This way Dodgson would feel victorious and have no reason to stay.

"You wanted out, so I gave you out. As I told Hank, you can either work _for _me or you can work _against _me. You chose the latter and invited yourself to a personal hell. From this moment on, you're as good as dead to me and everyone in this cell."

Dodgson stepped back, finally finished. He could've spat in Nedry's face or kicked him for good measure, but this was more than good enough. He saw how broken Nedry was, both physically and emotionally. He was going to lecture Nedry about what happens to gang members who leave their gangs, and how several countries around the world punish traitors. Nedry should know by now that treason is a serious offense punished by death. Dodgson wanted to say all those things, but he figured Nedry had got the point. Why tell, when you can _show_ someone that their actions were unacceptable and worthy of harsh punishment?

The assignment had been fulfilled and it was time to leave. He looked at the rest of the team, and made it clear without speaking that they were done for tonight. Dodgson was the first to leave the cell, followed by Gennaro, Lawala, Baselton, and Sonya. Wu lingered behind, and then he left the cell. Only one man remained inside the cell with Nedry.

Lopez searched the cell and picked up the nightstick Dodgson had given Wu. When Dodgson and everyone had left the cell, he had noticed Nedry attempting to stand up, and he couldn't resist getting one last shot. Nedry was facing the wall, and he turned around slowly. When he did, Lopez struck him across the jaw with the nightstick. He grinned when he heard the loud impact. Nedry collapsed face first, his mangled right hand by his side.

"I didn't want to go without saying good-bye," Lopez said and stomped on Nedry's injured hand. Nedry groaned in pain and Lopez went to the entrance of the cell. "If you know what's good for you, stay behind bars where you belong. Don't entertain the thought of escape. If you do get out, I'll be the first to make sure you get locked up—and it won't be in a jail cell—if you catch my drift." He laughed and then joined the team outside of the cell.

"You won't leave the way you came in, but it's fine," Contreras said, speaking to Dodgson and the group. "I'm gonna lock him up here, and escort you guys out of a certain exit that's rarely used around here, so no one will notice you leaving the building."

"What about him?" Dodgson asked, pointing inside the cell. "He can't squeal about what happened tonight. If he does, I want him put out of his misery for good."

"I'll do the honors, Dr. Dodgson," Lopez volunteered. Everyone laughed except for Lawala, who stood off to the side.

"I know you would, but this is serious. What're you gonna do about him?" He directed this question to Contreras.

"He's gonna be put on lockdown for about a week or 'the box' as it's called. After that, if he's still in bad shape I'll take him to the medical clinic or the hospital nearby. For now though, he's just gonna sit as he is right now locked up by himself so he can't tell anyone what happened to him. Sound good enough for you?" Contreras locked the cell. "I'll keep an eye on him; you don't have to worry about him blabbing to another inmate or cop. Soon I'll start on the paperwork to transport him to the States, so he'll be out of your hair for good."

"Excellent," Dodgson said. "We paid you well then."

Contreras nodded and then glanced at his watch. "Time for you guys to leave, I'll escort you to that exit I told you about, and then I'm coming back for him."

**oOo**

He was alone now in a dark and dusty cell. Contreras had come back for him as he had promised and dragged him off to a new tiny cell that had no windows and a door with no bars. He was in "the box" now, and at first Nedry thought he had been locked in a closet. For some reason, this version of "the box" was far worse than the one had been put in during his time in California's federal prison. Maybe it was because the person who threw him in didn't care that he was severely injured, or maybe it was because he was afraid to be by himself now, although he had been alone for a long time in his life now.

And maybe it was better to be alone like this. He didn't have to worry about everyone blaming him for things he didn't do, and holding everything he had done wrong in his life against him. He didn't have to hear the constant insults or jokes about his previous weight, his status as a convicted felon, and anything else his enemies came up with to tear him down.

He needed time to heal and pull himself together. He tried sitting comfortably in the cramped cell, although excruciating pain washed over him every time he moved. His chest burned with each breath he took, so he breathed slower. His left hand cradled his right hand. His fingers were smashed and broken, his wrist fractured, and his entire hand had turned dark blue and violet. His fingers curled like a claw and stiffened. Leave it to Dodgson to take away the chance of him typing again. It was far worse and more painful to have broken fingers than a revoked certification or license.

Nedry laughed bitterly and what he wanted to do for more than two years finally came to him as he sat alone in the dark cell. Hot tears welled up in his eyes and he was thankful that no one was there to see him at his lowest point. If any of the inmates had seen him cry while he was locked up, they would've had a field day. He was alone now, beaten and bruised, and Contreras wasn't coming back to check on him. He'd probably just leave him there to rot. Forget about medical attention. That was a dream that would never come true. What did Contreras call it before he tossed him in?

_The death of a traitor._

The tears flowed and he couldn't believe he was crying, but he couldn't bring himself to do anything else. If anyone was to ask him why he was crying, he could only tell them that he finally realized how much he had messed up in his life, how he had hurt others along the way, and most of all, that he had ruined himself.


	5. The Inmates Take Over the Asylum

**The Inmates Take Over the Asylum**

In the control room, Ian Malcolm sat in a swiveling chair with his arms folded across his chest. He had been listening to Ray Arnold and Robert Muldoon bicker for the past two hours and it wasn't going anywhere. No matter what went on in the island, no one seemed to be willing to work together and Malcolm was tired of it. He wanted to interrupt, but for now, he sat back and listened to both sides. Eventually, he would say something, but only when the time was right.

"I don't understand," Arnold said, shaking his head.

"I wouldn't expect you to," Muldoon said.

"Why do you care about what happens to him? He's brought nothing but misery and trouble and here you are defending him."

"I'm not defending him."

"Yes, you are—just admit it!"

"I'm not."

Arnold threw his hands in the air. "I'm sick of this garbage. I'm not going to pretend you're the same person you were before you disappeared."

"Then don't. I don't give a bloody damn."

"That's what's sad—you don't even care."

Muldoon sighed and then tried again. "If it weren't for him, I wouldn't be standing here right now."

"NO! If it weren't for him, you wouldn't have been stranded on that island in the first place!"

Silence fell in the control room. The only noise were Muldoon's boots as he paced back and forth.

Arnold's mind worked overtime as to what he should say next. Then it came to him. "So do you miss your new friend?"

Muldoon glanced at him and then turned away. If he faced Arnold for another moment, his temper would take over him.

"I hear the Costa Rican jails are lenient when it comes to visiting hours."

"Keep talking," Muldoon said tonelessly.

"I'm just asking you a simple question. No need to get defensive about it." Arnold took out a cigarette and lit it. "You're the one who's buddy-buddy with him."

Muldoon spun around. "For God's sake, shut your bloody mouth! You've been on my case ever since I've returned."

"Because you're a completely different person. I don't even recognize you. You've become sympathetic to Dennis like you're his savior and then you've got the damn nerve to accuse _me_ of betraying InGen."

"I've already apologized for that—you're never gonna let it go."

"You're not sorry, nor do you sound it. If you really were, you wouldn't have let that crap spew out of your mouth. If you want to be more like Dennis, eat Snickers for breakfast, lunch, and dinner and learn now to program complex computer systems. His sarcasm and disregard for everyone has rubbed off on you."

"Keep your bloody comments to yourself," Muldoon said in a dangerously low tone.

Malcolm rose from the console and stood in the middle of the control room. "That's enough," he said in a loud voice.

Muldoon and Arnold glanced at him, as if just realizing he was in the room with them.

"You two keep arguing and where is it heading? Dead end. No one's listening to each other."

"Isn't it always like that?" Muldoon asked, not hiding his sarcasm.

"You tell me," Malcolm shot back.

Muldoon stared at the floor and Arnold tapped the computer's monitor.

"Nothing gets done around here because everyone wants to be the one to have all the answers. You're both angry, but you don't even know why you're butting heads. From what I understand, Ray, you're pissed that Robert's not the same person he used to be since his return."

Arnold was secretly thankful that Malcolm understood his side. "It's more than that, but continue," he said.

"You're mad because he accused you of betrayal when the whole time he was gone; you were the most concerned, right?" Malcolm continued.

Arnold looked at Muldoon. "Yes, that's exactly it." He was relieved that someone in the room understood him.

"Robert, you're mad because everyone's accused you of changing."

"And I haven't," Muldoon snapped. "I wish people would shut up with that nonsense. I'm still the same person."

Arnold shook his head. His expression read: _no, you're not_, but he didn't voice it.

Muldoon sighed again, exasperated. "What is it? You're sitting there, shaking your head. Speak up."

Malcolm listened, maintaining his role as the mediator.

"Explain to me," Arnold said, taking a drag on his cigarette, "how you can defend a man who nearly caused Hammond's death and yours. Explain how you come back here biting off everyone's head."

"I didn't—"

"Let him have his say, then you have yours," Malcolm said, pointing at Arnold and then at Muldoon.

Arnold looked at Muldoon and fought back the choking anger he felt. "You weren't here when Ian and I stayed in the control room hoping to spot a sign—any sign—of you. You weren't here when Gerry urged me to call the police when I spotted you and Dennis on the island—and trust me, Gerry was extremely upset when you got arrested that night. You weren't here when Dodgson hit on Ellie to the point of harassment. You weren't here when Gennaro was pointing the finger of blame and when he was yelling at Tim and Lex for every little thing."

"Who'd he point the finger at?" Muldoon asked.

"_Me_." Arnold held Muldoon's gaze. "The whole time I heard about what I didn't do that night, what I should've done. I didn't need him pointing his finger at me. I already felt at fault for whatever had happened, and he made things worse. Don't let me get started on Henry…" He shook his head. "That's where I'm coming from. What else can I say?"

Malcolm nodded at Muldoon, giving him the okay to share his side.

Muldoon took out his flask, wondering if he should take a drink. Now was the perfect time to escape from all the stress and aggravation. Instead, he placed it down next to a computer console.

"He saved my life when we were stranded on Sorna. He's not who he used to be." He looked at Arnold, hoping he would believe his explanation. "It's the truth."

"People can change," Malcolm said.

"He saved your life?" Arnold repeated. "How?"

"He—I—" Muldoon struggled to say what he wanted them to know. It was uncharacteristic of him to fumble with his words. The added pressure of the company's situation and his friendship with Arnold stretched apart didn't help matters. He took a sip from his flask and the liquor soothed him. Finally, he told them about his nightmare and when he had fallen down the cliff.

"When I woke up, it was twilight. He had carried me for hours and I was unconscious. I accused him of doing it to save himself, but he did it to prove a point."

Arnold raised his eyebrows. "And that is?"

"He's many things, but he's not a killer," Muldoon finished. "He didn't deliberately set out to hurt John or myself. I don't know what the hell he was thinking when he released the raptors, but he's truly sorry for what happened that day."

Malcolm contemplated what Muldoon said.

"Did he tell you he was sorry?" Arnold made no attempt the keep the bitterness out of his voice.

"No, but I believe he is."

Arnold shrugged and puffed on his cigarette. "That's nice."

Muldoon recoiled as if he'd been punched in the jaw. "Why the hell did I explain my position for you to give me a bloody 'that's nice'?"

"What do you want me to say? Of course he saved you. It's because he wanted to save _himself_ from getting locked up for murder. It's always about him—I'm surprised he fooled you into thinking different," Arnold paused and then added, "surprised and disappointed."

Muldoon stared at Arnold in disbelief. "I don't believe you…you claim to be my friend and then—" Fed up, Muldoon took a seat in the far corner of the control room. He watched the video monitors flicker images of the dinosaurs feeding in the park. "Bloody fools want to know why I'm acting snappy and when you explain, you might as well have never come back." His words came out in a rushed jumble.

"Come again?" Arnold asked, leaning forward in his chair.

Muldoon didn't turn in his direction. "I'm not repeating myself. You should've listened the first time." He kept his eyes glued to the monitor.

"Oh, it's all very clear now. You get antsy when people don't believe your version of gentle do-gooder Dennis. You take it personal and wish you never returned to the island. Is that what you wanted to say?" Arnold spoke in a sappy tone that irked Muldoon. It was totally out of his character to behave this way. He knew it and so did Muldoon, but it didn't stop him from what he said next. "Since you accused me of betrayal earlier, how about I return the favor…you would've let him get away with it that day at the east dock if I wasn't there, right?"

Muldoon's head snapped in his direction, his blue eyes cold and steely. "You're lucky I can control my temper—otherwise you'd end up like Gennaro."

"How's that?"

"_Stop it!_" Malcolm demanded. Everything was spiraling out of control again.

"On the floor, drooling like a pitiful bastard. Should I demonstrate?" Muldoon rose from his seat, his hands clenched into tight fists.

Arnold's eyes widened in genuine surprise. "You need to sit down with that threat. No one is threatening you, okay?"

"You don't believe me," Muldoon heard his voice crack.

"I don't know what to believe anymore. You say he's sorry, but 'sorry' doesn't turn back the hands of time, Robert. It means absolutely nothing in my book."

"How can you say that? A man shows genuine remorse for his mistakes—"

"And they're not _'mistakes'_—" Arnold cut in. "Don't minimize what he's done."

"I'm not—would you let me bloody finish?!" Muldoon realized he was shouting again and he was about to speak when Arnold beat him to it.

"Let me tell you: the day he let the raptors out, he apologized."

Muldoon looked up sharply. "When?"

"After Dr. Grant and Malcolm dragged you to the bunker to work on your wounds. He said he was sorry."

Muldoon saw Malcolm nodding, confirming what Arnold had revealed. Why wasn't he told this before? He had to know.

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"Would it have mattered? The damage had been done. You know that as well as I do. Saying 'sorry' after everything he had done wouldn't have made a damn difference."

Something in Arnold's voice also cracked and Muldoon hated it. He hated arguing with Arnold, hated being on the island, hated that Hammond was struggling with the after-effects of a stroke that Nedry had inadvertently caused, hated that Dodgson was triumphant in taking over the island—he hated the entire damn situation. Everything hurt and there was no remedy for the pain felt by everyone. He thought of Arnold's question and forced himself to face the ugly truth: _it wouldn't have made any difference at the time._

"Can I say something?" Malcolm asked.

"Speak," Arnold said, waving his hand.

"This arguing has to stop—and it has to stop _now_. You both feel the way you do for your own reasons. Can you go back to that night in John's bungalow when you both were on the same page?"

Arnold nodded. "Robert?"

"Yes," Muldoon said. "We can do that."

"That night he told me what happened with Hammond was an accident," Malcolm said slowly.

Arnold sighed. "It doesn't change what he did."

"It doesn't. What's done is done. But," Malcolm paused briefly, "it shows that he feels remorse for what happened. He's not cold-blooded. He would've told you both the same thing if there had been less arguing and more listening."

"Easy for you to say," Arnold muttered.

"Let me finish. We all know Dennis is difficult, but that night he was pissed off for getting shot. He was giving you both a hard time and you both played right into it."

"It's hard not to, and he should've known we weren't going to allow him to roam freely. What's your point?"

"My point is he had a message to give everyone. He came to warn the staff," Malcolm said, "and no one was listening to him."

"Can you blame us?"

"No, but don't you understand you're repeating history. Don't you see it? No one was listening to each other then and no one's listening to each other _now_. We're back at square one again. The lack of communication is staggering. Everyone has a side, but no one's willing to give the other the benefit of the doubt. There's too much talking and not enough listening. You are so stuck that you see only your point of view." Malcolm sighed. He knew he could keep lecturing, but it would only further infuriate both men. What more could he say that hadn't already been said? "You two are friends…right?"

Muldoon's head turned in Malcolm's direction at the mention of 'friends'. He nodded in agreement. "Supposed to be."

Arnold also turned and met Muldoon's eyes that had lost their fury. "Yeah, we are." He put out his cigarette and waited to hear what Malcolm said.

Malcolm was inwardly relieved. They had both calmed down and were willing to listen.

"Then act it," he said firmly. "Right now, you two can't afford to be fighting like this. InGen is facing a huge crisis and the more you fight and bicker, the more you help Biosyn maintain their control. They'd love for you to keep arguing—then they can play you two against each other. Dodgson can manipulate you two like chess pieces if he wanted to. Every time you yell at each other, you make it easier for InGen to go under—I know you both don't want that."

"I don't. I just want people to know he's not glad for what happened to John and that it wasn't purposely done. It's something I had to come to terms with myself when we were stranded at Isla Sorna."

"Did you ever tell him this?" Malcolm asked.

Muldoon shook his head. "No."

"Maybe you should've, especially if he was looking to make amends."

"I couldn't bring myself to do it."

"Why?"

"I don't know. I guess I had my doubts like Ray."

Arnold glanced in his direction. "I'm sorry, Robert. I'm just glad you made it back alive. I was worried sick the entire time—all of us were: me, Ian, Dr. Sattler, Gerry, Tim and Lex."

"Don't be. It's not your fault." Muldoon met his eyes. "None of this is, and I know you did the best you could."

They fell silent and watched the monitors in the control room. They weren't on completely good terms, but they could at least talk and understand each other. Still, it seemed like a long time would pass before they resumed their friendship.

Malcolm tilted his head in thought. "This is an odd time to bring this up and it's completely off topic…but where the hell is Howard King?"

"Knowing him, he's off in the corner talking or fiddling with his cell-phone," Arnold said, lighting a new cigarette.

"What about Roland? I thought he was babysitting us."

"He's around somewhere. As long as he's not on my back, I'm fine."

There was a knock from outside the control room. Ellie Sattler was on the outside with Lex Murphy. She inserted her security card and the door opened allowing them entry into the control room. Lex walked in first and Elle followed. They both smelled like wet overturned soil as if they had been in the greenhouse all day.

"What's up?" Ellie asked.

"We're just here," Malcolm said, gesturing to the control room. "Donald left with Dodgson and the team."

Ellie smiled. "That's a blessing."

"Yeah, but we're being watched by King and Tembo so…how much of a blessing is that?" Malcolm countered.

"Mr. King is playing with his cell-phone in the souvenir store on the upper level," Lex said. "We passed him earlier."

"When isn't he doing that?" Arnold said, shaking his head. King wasn't sadistic like Dodgson and the rest of his crew. He was mostly annoying especially with his cell-phone—and that ridiculous ring tone.

Malcolm's eyebrows rose. "Where's Gerry and Tim?"

"In the park looking over that sick maiasaur. She's been sick for days," Arnold said. He pointed to the video monitor that showed Harding and Tim under the floodlights. They were bent over the dinosaur, studying her intensely. "He should come back now. I'll radio for him." Arnold clicked on a walkie-talkie.

"Don't do that," Malcolm said quickly. "Otherwise Tembo will give him a hard time."

Muldoon glanced in his direction. "He will do nothing of the sort."

"He has before."

"He won't now."

"And why's that?"

Muldoon pointed at the computer monitor that showed Tembo standing in front of the tyrannosaur paddock. "That's why."

Arnold, Malcolm, Ellie, and Lex went to stand around Muldoon to see what was going on. Roland Tembo stood a few feet away from the electrified fence. He threw a stone and it hit the wires, causing it to emit bluish sparks followed by crackling sounds. They watched as he did it again. His actions appeared juvenile, but his intentions were clear to Muldoon.

"He's not watching us like Dodgson ordered him to. He's trying to agitate the tyrannosaur," Muldoon said. "Bloody fool. If he doesn't stop, Rexy's gonna get too close to the fence and that's the last thing we need." He stood up from his seat and took out his ring of keys. "Excuse me."

Muldoon walked between Ellie and Arnold who watched as Tembo paced in front of the electrified fence. He picked up a spare walkie-talkie.

"Ray, I'm on line one. I'll keep you posted. We're taking back our park tonight. Ian, Ellie, I'll need your help. You too, Lex, if you're up for it."

"Definitely!" Lex grinned; excited by the idea of helping the park staff.

Ellie shook her head, worried. "Don't get her involved, Robert."

"It's too late now. They invaded our island so we must do what's necessary to reclaim it." He clutched the keys in his tight fist. "Ian, radio Gerry. Tell him to stay right where he is with Tim."

Malcolm nodded. "Will do."

Muldoon went to the exit of the control room, ready to leave, when Arnold called back to him.

"Rob—thanks for knocking the crap out of Gennaro earlier. I've wanted to do that for a long time."

A brief smile lit Muldoon's grim expression. He gave a curt nod and Arnold puffed his cigarette, saluting him. Malcolm saw the exchange and was pleased with the progress they were making to rebuild their friendship.

"That's what I like to see," Malcolm said. "The park staff acting like one big happy family."

"You left out 'dysfunctional'," Arnold said, holding back a laugh. "Did you find the info you needed about flights?"

"Yep."

"What do you need it for?"

"You'll see."

Muldoon was halfway out the door when Ellie asked him a quick question.

"What do you plan on doing?"

"I'm poaching a poacher."

The door closed behind him.

**oOo**

It was half past twelve in the morning and Roland Tembo was wide awake as if it were twelve-thirty in the afternoon.

Dodgson and the team wouldn't be back for awhile. Tembo knew exactly what Dodgson's intentions were when he said the team was going to the mainland to teach Nedry a lesson. He wanted no part in it, but he still wanted to know what happened. Tembo had made sure to tell Lopez before they left:

"Throw in a few good hits for me."

"Only a few?"

Tembo laughed, "Give him as many as you like from me—the bastard deserves it after what he did that night."

_That night_ referred to the failed hit on Nedry the first time he left Biosyn.

"He'll know it's from you," Lopez had said. "And he'll know when I hit him. Believe me; I'll make sure he knows."

They had left to go to the jail and Tembo could only imagine the beating Nedry was experiencing at the team's hands. Tembo didn't care. It wasn't his problem anymore, and it never was to begin with. A part of him was tempted to go because he would have loved to get his own hits without someone doing it for him. At the same time, he felt he was above that sort of task. He had told Dodgson at the meeting with good reason: _I'm a mercenary, not a mobster_. Tembo meant it literally. He had enough of toying with Nedry. Trying to kill him the first time didn't work, nor did leaving him stranded on Isla Sorna with Robert Muldoon. Nedry had gotten out of that one—with Muldoon.

"Like a cat with nine lives," Tembo said, as the night breeze swept throughout the island, giving him a slight chill.

He was actually glad they had returned to Isla Nublar alive—because now Tembo could tangle with Muldoon. Robert Muldoon was his equal, or at least, in the same field as him. Nedry was a nerd, a bitter convict that should be sitting in a cramped cell, serving hard time.

Muldoon on the other hand…

Tembo savored the thought: the perfect rival, who knew all about the bush, and who knew how to handle a gun. This didn't mean that Tembo respected Muldoon. Never. Muldoon was equal to him only in that they were both experienced in the bush, and had been in Africa at the same time, but at different places. In all other respects, Muldoon was far below him. He knew he should respect Muldoon, but then again, Tembo didn't live his life with the word 'should' especially when it concerned giving an unworthy opponent respect.

Mostly, Tembo coveted the position that Muldoon held on the island. He didn't recall mentioning this to the Biosyn team and he figured it was best that it stay under wraps. Tembo was out for himself. He knew better to keep his ambitions a secret so that they wouldn't be thwarted. Imagine being a game warden working with an extinct species brought back to life. That honor and once-in-a-lifetime opportunity didn't belong to Muldoon at all. It belonged to Tembo and no one else. _What does Muldoon know? Not a damn thing, _Tembo thought. He would do anything to get that position even if it meant getting rid of Muldoon.

How would he get rid of the hired game warden? Tembo liked to come up with different scenarios. What if they went hunting for an escaped raptor? The raptors were dead now, Tembo knew, but he still liked to imagine. He would go hunting for the animal with Muldoon, and because he was the better hunter and more conniving, Tembo would arrange it so that Muldoon was mauled far worse than the first time. If he were extra lucky, Muldoon wouldn't even come back alive. The only thing remaining would be his fedora.

_It's an extreme scenario,_ Tembo thought, _but you can't be wishy-washy in this line of business. You can't hesitate when a tiger is about to pounce on you with its claws an inch away from your face. You have to pull the damn trigger and win to see another day or piss in your pants and never see daylight again._ Tembo was all about pulling the trigger at the last second, living in danger at every moment, and having a bottle of scotch to congratulate himself at the end of the day. That was the life. Sonya Durant understood that as well as he did, which is why he liked her. Tembo would be content to hunt down animals everyday of his life and fill up his trophy room in Mombassa, to the point where one could only admire his "trophies" from the doorway. That was life, according to him.

Robert Muldoon knew nothing about life.

Roland Tembo knew everything about being alive.

Tembo remembered the tale of a man who had climbed Mount Everest. When the man had returned, people asked him if he went up there to die. The man had boldly proclaimed: _no, I went up there to live_. _What a fantastic way to live,_ Tembo thought. He kept that story about the man who had climbed Mount Everest close to him. It was his emblem of what it meant to truly be alive.

Right now, he couldn't climb Mount Everest, but he could aspire to higher things metaphorically—like taking down a full-grown tyrannosaurus rex. Thus the real reason Tembo had stayed behind. He wanted to spend quality time with the T-Rex inside its paddock, hunting and bringing down the monstrous animal. He couldn't go inside the enclosure, but Tembo was satisfied to stand outside of it, which he was doing now. Nighttime was the perfect time to observe the animal, it was nocturnal, contrary to Lopez's weird theories about it sleeping in the night and hunting by day. Tembo preferred to learn about tyrannosaurs for himself and not listen to theories.

The electrified fence loomed high above him as if touching the sky. Tembo observed the paddock fences for the T-Rex were extra tall in height since it held an extremely large animal. So far, he had been out there since midnight. At first he had waited in the jeep with his rifle and darts, but that got boring and he had crept towards the fence until he was standing in front of it. Now he threw stones at the fence, hoping for the tyrannosaur to appear.

"Come out; come out, wherever you are."

Tembo reached into his pocket for a small round stone. He aimed carefully to see if he could throw it between the fence's wires. Tembo squinted and threw. There was a low _thunk_ as the stone hit the ground inside the enclosure. Still no Rexy. He tossed another stone in the air and caught it. This time he aimed to strike the fence. Metallic blue sparks flew out and Tembo backed away. Popping and snapping sounds erupted from where the stone had hit the fence.

There was a loud thump from somewhere in the depths of the paddock. Tembo stepped closer to the fence. Further in the enclosure, the bushes trembled, then became still. He frowned. He would have sworn he saw the pebbly surface of the tyrannosaur's hide. _Only one way to find out._ Tembo went back to his jeep and picked up a sturdy branch from the backseat. There were plenty of sticks and stones to spare; he had gone out earlier in the day collecting them for the present purpose he was using them.

Tembo threw the branch at the electrified fence, and then backed off quickly. Silver sparks hopped from the wires, some danced in the air, and what sounded like fireworks crackling emitted from the fence. A choked growl sounded from inside the paddock. Tembo grinned; his sharp cheekbones pressed against his skin. Finally, he was getting the beast's attention.

Tembo went back to the jeep again and grabbed the rifle that sat against the front passenger seat, waiting patiently for its owner. He opened the sliver case next to it and loaded the darts into his rifle. Then he placed one spare dart sideways in his mouth, his teeth held it down in place. Swinging the rifle in one hand and a torn branch in the other, Tembo made his way back to the fence. He threw the branch high into the air. The branch caught between the wires, showering electric blue and silver sparks over the ground in and outside of the paddock. Popping noises filled the air; each _pop_ louder than the last.

Tembo waited.

**oOo**

Muldoon had driven halfway into the park and left his jeep back near the dilophosaur paddock. He didn't have to walk far; the tyrannosaur paddock was half a mile down. Even before spotting Tembo, he could hear the crackling sounds from the fence as Tembo threw branches at it. It sounded like fireworks.

When he was a hundred feet away from Tembo, Muldoon took quiet steps to make sure the other man didn't see him. Tembo was too preoccupied with getting the tyrannosaur's attention. Muldoon watched Tembo retrieve his rifle and darts from inside his jeep and then approach the fence again. He crept towards the jeep so that he was hidden from Tembo's and the oncoming tyrannosaur's view.

Muldoon had his own shotgun stocked with darts. He had brought five of the same darts he had previously used on Nedry. He didn't bother to tell Malcolm, Arnold, or Ellie that he planned to use them on Tembo. Muldoon's plan was to spy on him, shoot him, and drag him back to the control room in less than ten minutes if possible. Chillingly simple and easy to execute. Tembo was so busy trying to irritate the tyrannosaur that by the time he realized he had been shot with a dart, he would already be on the ground writhing in pain.

At the moment, Tembo was pacing back and forth waiting for the tyrannosaur to appear. Muldoon could hear the trees ruffling and the steady booming sound that accompanied it. A flock of birds suddenly flew into the air circling above the trees in the paddock and then headed towards the southern tip of the island. The booming sound was getting louder. Muldoon crawled around the side panel of the jeep and took steady aim with his shotgun.

Adjacent to Tembo was an outhouse—it was in a very odd spot. It had never been cleared when the tyrannosaur paddock had been completed and stood off to the side of the road. The outhouse was used by the maintenance workers. Muldoon wondered if Tembo had noticed it. Probably not, he was too focused on hunting the Rex from outside the perimeter fence. Muldoon ignored the outhouse and focused on his target.

**oOo**

As if thunder had feet and could walk, a booming noise from deep inside the paddock rumbled. The booming became more intense and Tembo realized it was the tyrannosaur making its way to the fence. Tremors vibrated beneath his boots and he stood in place, refusing to move. The tops of the trees and jungle canopy fluttered sending birds scattering into the sky as tyrannosaur came closer. Tembo half-expected lightning to flash across the black sky as if giving a royal welcome to the tyrant lizard.

What he saw next caused him to catch his breath in his throat. The tyrannosaur's massive head was extended over five feet and reached the top wires of the fence. The thick leather skin had a rough pebbly appearance and round yellow-green eyes with long black slits that stared down at Tembo in curiosity and annoyance. The forelimbs were tiny compared to the rest of the huge body and unimpressive. They were the size of a human's arm, nothing damaging. The hind legs were another story—the pebbly skin stretched taut over the animal's muscles. The huge imposing body blocked Tembo's view of the inner enclosure. Not that it bothered him, he was glad the tyrannosaur had finally come out from its home.

Tembo raised his rifle so that it was in clear sight for the dinosaur to see.

"It would be too easy, Rexy, to take a cheap shot at you," Tembo said, his words coming out jumbled thanks to the dart held between his teeth. He spat it out and the dart hit the ground at his feet.

In response, the tyrannosaur bellowed—a horrific sound that could be heard from miles away.

**oOo**

Ready. Aim. Fire!

Muldoon pulled the trigger—and his heart dropped in his chest when he heard a clicking sound from his shotgun.

"Bloody hell," Muldoon muttered as he held the gun away from him. It stalled on him—why now? Of all the times to stall on him, this was the worst. He examined it and quickly fixed the problem.

**oOo**

The tyrannosaur jerked her head and roared again. Tembo heard a faint clicking sound and then sneered at the dinosaur. It was obvious that the animal sensed something or someone nearby. The tyrannosaur's yellow-green orbs rolled in their sockets, searching for whatever was outside of the paddock. She roared again, trying to frighten the person or thing out of hiding. Tembo never put his hands over his ears, even though the bellowing made them ring.

"Is that the best you can do, you big baby?" Tembo came closer to the fence. "Better be thankful for that fence, it's your only protection."

**oOo**

Muldoon closed the chamber and ignored the tyrannosaur's bellowing. It was the worst sound he ever heard in his life, second to the raptor's screeches and growling. He was accustomed to working with animals in the wild, but dinosaurs were a different story. He could handle them, but it didn't mean he was always thrilled about it. He took careful aim again, and this time had Tembo right in his sights. Squinting, Muldoon squeezed the trigger and maintained a tight expression when he saw the dart fly out from the shotgun.

**oOo**

Tembo stood facing the fence and heard a whizzing sound behind him. He had extraordinary senses and didn't have to turn around to know that someone was trying to hunt him down. His suspicions were confirmed when he heard an object strike the outhouse. The feathered tip of a tranquilizer dart beckoned his attention. The needle of the dart was buried in the wood of the outhouse, obviously meant for him. Tembo's eyes narrowed as he plucked out the dart. Holding it in the air, he turned in the direction where the dart had come from.

"Amateur."

**oOo**

Muldoon heard Tembo's remark about his skills in firing a shotgun and decided to come out of hiding. Tembo threw the dart at the paddock fence. Bluish-silvery sparks crackled and showered over where Tembo stood. The tyrannosaur roared again, reacting to the sparks flying off the fence. Muldoon ignored it and headed straight for Tembo, making no effort to be silent. He was five feet away when Tembo turned around to face him.

"Robert Muldoon, I should've known. You have lousy aim."

Muldoon stopped in front of Tembo. "That was practice."

"If that's practice…I hate to see you when you're _not_ practicing."

"You won't be conscious to see it. Let's leave it at that."

Tembo shook his head, glaring at Muldoon. "It's a pity you're the warden on this island."

"It's a pity _for you_ that you're right in front of me," Muldoon said raising the shotgun eyelevel.

Tembo stepped forward and brought the gun down. He forgot about the tyrannosaur he had agitated. "You really are a waste of space, you know that don't you? Look at you; you followed me out here, for what?" He gestured to the area around him. "To shoot me with your inferior darts—a real hunter goes straight for the kill face to face. A coward shoots a man from behind. Which one are you, Robert Muldoon? I know the answer, but do you?"

"I know I'm a respected game warden, which is more than I can say for you."

"You are sadly mistaken. However, if you choose to believe your own lies…a 'respected game warden'…" Tembo smirked. "Who am I to ruin your fantasy? Certainly not I."

Muldoon now stood face to face with Tembo. He could feel the arrogance radiate from Tembo like sun's rays on the most humid summer day.

"You're not a hunter. You're a _poacher_."

"Is there a difference?"

"You know the answer to that question," Muldoon said coldly.

"A hunter pretends to love the animals and so does a poacher. Actually a poacher loves the animals in his own twisted way."

"I'm the game warden of this island, and you're an exiled poacher," Muldoon said through clenched teeth. "I know of your reputation in Africa."

"I recall telling you the first time we met that our reputations precede us. Small world, isn't it, Robert Muldoon?"

"That you did and yes…it is."

"Then you should know—" Tembo started, but Muldoon made a slashing motion in the air, cutting him off.

"This is my island, my park, and my company." A shiver tingled down Muldoon's spine when he realized he sounded exactly like John Hammond. He held his head high with pride. For once, he was glad to sound like Hammond because it meant he was defending the honor of the company he worked for. "You're just a temporary visitor. I'm the resident game warden here—"

Now it was Tembo who interrupted him. "You won't be for long."

Muldoon glared at him, silent as the Tembo's words and tone rang in his mind. There was a smug note in Tembo's voice when he said those words: _you won't be for long_. His arrogance was deafening.

"If you're going to shoot me, then get it over with. I'm close enough in your range so you won't have to make that foolish mistake again," Tembo said, a strange grin on his face. He glanced upwards. The tyrannosaur had moved away from the fence for a moment and then came back again. The dinosaur bellowed at the two men standing outside of its enclosure. She was angered by their presence and frustrated that she had no way of getting to them. Muldoon focused on Tembo.

"Why are you here?"

"Isn't it obvious? I'm here to rightfully snatch your position as Jurassic Park's game warden."

"You won't be taking my place anytime soon."

"Don't be so sure of yourself, Muldoon. Arrogance is a character flaw."

"That you possess."

Tembo nodded as if pleased. "How observant you are, but tell the truth: arrogance is really an exaggerated form of confidence. Wouldn't you agree?"

Muldoon raised his eyebrows and didn't answer. He reached in his pocket and unscrewed the flask. He took a long sip of liquor and then put it away.

"No wonder you missed before," Tembo said, shaking his head. "You're a miserable drunk! Didn't Dr. Dodgson talk to you about that?"

Muldoon's eyes narrowed and raised his shotgun again, ready to take aim. He would shoot him in the heart and permanently shut him up. Tembo backed up in front of him, placed his rifle on the ground, and held out his arms.

"Go ahead—do what you came out here to do. Shoot me, Robert Muldoon! Let's see if you really have it in you to pump me full of darts. Take your chance. I'll turn around to make it easier for you."

Tembo closed his eyes and turned around so that his back was facing Muldoon. He heard the thunderous booming of the tyrannosaur in the paddock and then it faded away as if the dinosaur had grown bored from watching the two men quarrel. There was a long silence punctuated by chirping noises of jungle nightlife.

"I'm still waiting. Are you going to shoot me in the chest or the back? Should be interesting to find out, but I know your kind, Muldoon. You're a coward, so you'll shoot me in the back when I'm not looking. Do your best and try not to miss. I know it's hard for you, especially given your addiction to alcohol, so I'll take pity on you."

Tembo stood still while Muldoon slowly circled him. Muldoon watched him closely: Tembo really had closed his eyes and waited with his arms folded across his chest. An impatient stance as if Muldoon was taking too long to execute him on the spot. Even Tembo's lips were curled in a condescending sneer. _He won't have to wait much longer,_ Muldoon thought as he silently placed his shotgun on the ground and picked up Tembo's rifle.

Tembo opened one eye just in time to see Muldoon swing his rifle, smashing it against his face.

**oOo**

"He's been out for awhile. God knows what he's doing out there, probably confronting Tembo." Arnold shrugged. "Who knows?"

Malcolm and Ellie sat in the control room with him, waiting and wondering when Muldoon would return. Lex sat at a computer console playing solitaire. There was a rapid knocking on the control room door. Everyone turned around at the same time.

"Oh hell," Arnold muttered. He saw Muldoon banging on the door from the other side.

Ellie got up and opened the door just as Arnold pressed the buzzer to grant him entrance.

"Robert—" Ellie shook her head at what she saw, unsure if she should share in Muldoon's victory. She was glad he did something about Tembo, but things were being taken to a new level. Then she remembered his words from earlier: it was time to take back their park and their island. _He's absolutely right, _she thought, and she moved out of the way, allowing him to enter the control room.

Muldoon dragged Tembo into the control room by a cord wrapped around his wrists. Tembo appeared dazed, but somewhat alert of his surroundings. He kept blinking and scowling as he looked around the control room.

"As promised, I poached a poacher," Muldoon said, yanking Tembo forward. "Get that chair from the back, Ellie. We're gonna interrogate him."

"Like hell you are," Tembo muttered.

"You don't have a choice."

Ellie brought over a folding chair while Malcolm and Arnold looked on, speechless. Even Lex had stopped her game to watch Muldoon and Ellie. Muldoon shoved Tembo onto the chair and pointed at a coil of unused extension cord under Lex's feet.

"Pass me that extension cord, Lex. It should be long enough."

Lex gave it to him and sat down, watching in amazement.

"He seems out of it," Malcolm observed.

"He is," Muldoon said, wrapping the cord around Tembo's arms. "Ray, hold him up for me, he's falling over." Arnold went to stand behind the chair and held Tembo in place while Muldoon continued to tie him up, expertly tying the knots. "I hit him with his own rifle and then shot two darts at him. He'll be fully conscious in a moment. Bloody fools like him never stay down long enough. Ellie, there's more cord in that bin over there," Muldoon said, pointing to the far corner of the room. "Bring it over. I'm tying this bastard's legs together."

Ellie went over to the medium-sized bin and pulled out another black extension cord. "Is this good?"

"Perfect," Muldoon said. "Hold his ankles together." There was a brief silence as Muldoon motioned Ellie to hold Tembo's ankle to the chair leg. "I change my mind. Better to keep his legs apart so he can't gain momentum by kicking them together. He'll do what I did to him at Isla Sorna—I wouldn't put it past him."

Malcolm watched as Muldoon lashed the extension cord around Tembo's left ankle, pulling it tight and knotting it so that it couldn't be undone. He agreed with Muldoon about "taking back their park", but was this the right thing to do—especially in front of Lex? He didn't consider her to be a little child, totally ignorant of what was going on, but at the same time, maybe it was a bit much. Malcolm wasn't sure, but he figured he'd ask.

"Ah, is it a good idea for Lex to witness this?"

"I'm grown and can handle it."

Malcolm blinked as he turned to Lex, who met his questioning gaze. Lex shrugged and went over to help. She held Tembo's right ankle against the chair leg while Muldoon tied it with more cord. Arnold held the back of the chair, steadying it in case Tembo awoke and tried to struggle out of his bonds.

"Good job, Lex," Muldoon said.

Lex nodded and went back to the computer console to observe the adults, completely distracted from her solitaire game.

Tembo woke up with his head still hung between his shoulders. He twisted around in his chair, trying to free himself. When he realized he couldn't move his arms and legs, his struggling became more intense. His wrists were bound together in front and he could feel the cords digging into his skin. Blood leaked from his nose and he sniffed, making it spill down to his lips. Looking up, he saw Ellie, Muldoon, Arnold, and Malcolm standing in a circle around him like cops about to interrogate a crime suspect.

"Clever…very clever…but stupid!"

A dark glint lit up Muldoon's steel blue eyes as he watched Tembo resist against the cords strapped around his shoulders and ankles. He tried kicking, but found he was unable since his ankles were bound to the legs of the chair. Tembo's face turned blood red as his anger increased and his cheekbones became more pronounced when he clenched his teeth. Muldoon thought it was amusing.

"Keep making faces like that," he said, "and you'll end up on the cover of a woman's beauty magazine." He chuckled when he realized it sounded like something Nedry would say.

Tembo eyes narrowed to cold slits and he spat a gob of saliva on Muldoon's boot.

"That's more than you can say for the tell-tale marks on _your_ face. Tell me, Robert Muldoon: do you ever get asked how you got those hideous scars? They tell a story about your incompetence."

Muldoon touched the scar above and under his right eye. "My battle scars are my pride."

"There you go again, living in a fantasy world of your own making. Be realistic for once. How does it feel to look in the mirror everyday and see your weakness stare back at you?" Tembo sneered.

"You're the one who's weak," Muldoon growled. "Illegal poaching, a swollen ego, and a couple of insults don't scare me."

"Good to know, Robert Muldoon. I'll keep that in mind."

Muldoon's eyes narrowed. The way Tembo spat out his full name as if it were sour milk irritated him. For a moment, he felt as if it were just him and Tembo and that Malcolm, Ellie, and Arnold weren't even there. They didn't say anything, allowing Tembo and Muldoon to air out their rivalry.

"You're pathetic, look at you and your little cohorts. I could get out of these ropes if I wanted to, you know." Tembo wriggled his arms. The cords didn't budge.

"Then do it."

"I won't." He stopped struggling. "I know you have this unsatisfied need to feel good about yourself. You need to feel that you're able to accomplish _something_ on this island that doesn't include getting mauled by an animal. I'll stay tied up just to give you a little ego boost." Tembo glared at the ring of InGen staff standing around him. "You and your little friends. Pathetic and pitiful."

Muldoon said nothing and picked up his shotgun that he had placed by Arnold's console.

"Mark my words," Tembo continued, licking the blood that dribbled onto his lips, "if I break out of these ropes your little shotgun won't do you any good."

Muldoon tossed his shotgun to the ground. "I can use my bare hands just fine." He cracked his knuckles.

"This I've got to see to believe. I wonder if your punching is as poor as your shooting."

"One way to find out," Muldoon said, swinging his clenched fist in Tembo's face. Proud of the cracking from Tembo's nose, Muldoon bent down to retrieve his shotgun.

"Load up on your Darts of Truth," Arnold said. "We're gonna play interrogation with him."

"Are you sure about this, Ray?" Ellie asked, her eyes dashing between Arnold and Muldoon.

Arnold tapped ash on Tembo's face. "Absolutely. Ian?"

Malcolm nodded. "Go for it."

"'Darts of Truth'?" Tembo bust out laughing. "This must be a stupid joke."

"You're gonna wish it was," Arnold snapped.

Muldoon spoke quietly as he loaded his shotgun. "I'm going to ask you some questions. Every time you don't give us the answer we want—_we_ as in me, Ray, Dr. Malcolm, Dr. Sattler, and Lex—I shoot a dart at you."

Tembo leaned against the cords as far as they would allow him to. "Then I guess I'll resemble Swiss cheese by the end of the night because I'm not going to give you or your stooges what you want, Robert Muldoon."

"We'll see about that."

A sudden banging sound echoed in the control room. Tembo groaned in pain and looked down at his right thigh. The dart stood straight up, motionless, the sharp tip buried in his skin. A horrible sensation like thumbtacks being pressed into his skin overwhelmed him followed by the intense heat of an iron. Tembo fidgeted, trying to combat the intense pain. Cold sweat beaded his forehead, and he took a deep breath, preparing himself for an onslaught of darts.

"Painful?" Muldoon asked.

"Very."

"That was just a warm-up."

"I'm warmed enough."

"First question: where did Dodgson go?"

Tembo had been staring at his right thigh and looked up at Muldoon, hatred shining in his eyes. "Are you deaf? Didn't you hear him when he said he was going to the mainland?"

"Why did they go to the mainland?"

"To visit someone."

"Who?"

"Dennis. Need I go on?"

"Do you want a dart in your other leg?"

Tembo didn't answer. He didn't shake his head or nod, but kept completely still.

"Talk," Arnold said, blowing cigarette smoke in his face.

"I will when I'm good and ready." Tembo looked up at Ellie and Malcolm, who remained silent, but obviously in favor of Muldoon's tactics. "Dr. Sattler, I thought you were better than this."

"I am," she snarled. "I'm better than trash like _you_." She spat a glob of saliva in his face.

"Aren't you the attractive broad, spitting in my face when I'm tied down. You're lucky I'm a gentleman, Dr. Sattler, or else you—"

Tembo was silenced when Malcolm punched him across the face. Tembo blinked, completely thrown off by what was going on. Or more so, he was shocked by Malcolm's audacity. If he wasn't held down, Tembo would've retaliated so fast that no one would know what happened.

"What's this, Dr. Malcolm? Sticking up for your little slut—"

At the word "slut", Malcolm slammed another fist in Tembo's face. "Keep calling Ellie names, you'll be lucky if you can see out of both eyes by the time we're through with you," Malcolm threatened.

Tembo laughed, obviously entertained by their reaction to him. "I'm not worried. Dr. Dodgson has plans for her. You'll pay for putting your grimy hands on me."

Malcolm kept his icy stare on Tembo. "Continue, Robert."

Muldoon nodded. "What are they doing to him?"

Tembo grinned widely, making his cheekbones more pronounced than before. "Wouldn't you love to know, Robert Muldoon?"

"I would. Answer the bloody question."

"I don't have to answer any damn thing."

Muldoon shot another dart; this one embedded itself in Tembo's stomach, the dart sticking out of his shirt. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Lex turn around at the sound of the dart being fired. Tembo winced in pain and he breathed deeply, trying to contain himself. Finally, his bravado was starting to shatter and Muldoon grinned sadistically.

"Next time, I'm aiming for your face. Now answer the question." Muldoon leaned forward in Tembo's face. "What are they doing to him?"

Tembo didn't speak for a moment and he glanced at everyone in the control room. His chest heaved up and down as he took slow deep breaths, trying to keep the pain at bay. Despite the dart sticking out of his stomach, he forced himself to smile.

"They're throwing a farewell party for him. I would love to be there, but I have better things to do than to waste my valuable time wishing Dennis best of luck in his future endeavors."

"Speak English."

"I am speaking perfectly clear English, Robert Muldoon. Or do you want me to translate for you?"

"Translate," Muldoon spoke through clenched teeth.

"Dodgson knew for a long time that Dennis wanted out of Biosyn after what happened to you and John Hammond. You see, he learned—wait, strike that, because he _hasn't_ learned. If he did, he wouldn't be receiving the final farewell from everyone."

Muldoon stared at Tembo, trying to resist the urge to punch him in the face. Beside him, Arnold stood smoking a cigarette. Muldoon was so wrapped up in Tembo's words that he barely smelled the smoke from Arnold's cigarette and he didn't notice Ellie listening along with the entire conversation. Malcolm stepped forward.

"What type of 'farewell'? Is it what I think it is?"

"Dr. Malcolm, at least you have brains here. Someone has to, even if it's just one of you on this miserable island. This place is run by InGen twits, but not for long. Look at him," Tembo said, motioning towards Muldoon. "All brawn and no brains. Drinking doesn't help you either, does it Robert Muldoon? It affects your ability to aim and shoot a gun, among other things…"

Muldoon suddenly threw his shotgun to the floor and shoved down the chair that Tembo was tied too. The chair banged loudly against the floor, echoing in the control room. Tembo's neck snapped back, and he squirmed violently, desperate to break free of the cords. Muldoon pressed his boot against Tembo's neck and grinded it in. He enjoyed watching Tembo's face redden as he struggled to breathe. Muldoon figured he should continue until the flesh on Tembo's neck was worn away. Malcolm pulled him off.

"Get a hold of yourself," Malcolm said, gripping Muldoon's shoulders. "He's not worth it. He's getting you worked up to the point where you lose your temper. This is all entertainment to him."

"Bloody get off me!" Muldoon pushed Malcolm off him, but Malcolm was stronger than he gave him credit for and didn't release his hold.

"Stop. Giving. Into. Him."

"He's right," Arnold said. "Don't let him get to you. He's like Dennis."

Muldoon shook his head. "No, he's not…he's worse than Dennis. Henry's worse; they all are, but this bloody—" Muldoon broke free from Malcolm and Arnold and sent a violent kick to Tembo's side.

This time Ellie came over and pulled Muldoon off.

"He's not worth it. Ian and Ray are right—and so's Lex," Ellie said, searching Muldoon's eyes. "Don't let him get to you. You have to maintain control and be the better man in this. Be that man, Robert. I know you have it in you. You can't lose your cool because he's talking trash."

Muldoon nodded, finally calming down. He yanked his flask out, took a drink and then poured some on Tembo's face.

"Enjoy!"

"He's a dumb asshole, Mr. Muldoon," Lex added. She turned around in the swiveling chair, watching everyone. "Don't let his stupidity contaminate you."

"You're a very fresh young lady with a lousy mouth," Tembo called over to her. "I'm sure you're grandfather would be proud of you."

"He always is." Lex gave Tembo the middle finger.

Muldoon briefly smiled at Lex's gesture and quietly picked up his shotgun. He watched as Malcolm and Ellie lifted the chair Tembo was tied to, and set it against the wall with Arnold's help. Tembo coughed and then quickly regained his composure as if what just occurred never happened.

"As I said before, they're throwing him a good-bye party," Tembo said. "Too bad you can't be there for him, Robert, because Dennis has no one."

Muldoon went to the glass portholes of the control room and stared outside. He bit his bottom lip so hard that it bled. There was movement in the control room and glanced over his shoulder. Malcolm interrogated Tembo, picking up where Muldoon left off.

"A 'good-bye party'?"

"Yes."

"From the Biosyn team?"

"Who else?"

Malcolm thought for a moment, and snapped his fingers as the realization hit him. "He's being jumped out," he whispered.

Muldoon turned around. "He's what?"

"Getting jumped out," Malcolm said, looking in Muldoon's direction. "When a person joins a gang, they get jumped in, initiated. A gang, by basic definition, is three or more people conducting illegal activities. Most times they have a territory and commit criminal acts."

"So you're implying Dodgson's group is a gang," Arnold said, somewhat skeptical.

"Yes. You have to realize that 'gang' doesn't always mean colors, drive-bys, hand signs, and whatever else you see on t.v. A group of assassins who work under a crime boss can be considered a gang. Dodgson's group is definitely a gang, there's no question about it. He gives the orders, and they follow whatever he says. In most gangs centered in big cities around the United States, young people are initiated in different ways—it's like a rite of passage. One way of initiation is getting 'jumped in'."

"Meaning they beat the living shit out of you," Tembo said, gloating. "It's a test of strength and stamina, loyalty and honor. I'm sure you wouldn't survive, Robert Muldoon. Don't ever join a gang unless you want to rot in an early grave. On second thought, it would fit you…I wonder what they would inscribe on your headstone."

Muldoon ignored his scathing comments. "And being jumped out is…"

"Same thing," Arnold said, "only it's much worse. It happens when someone decides to leave the gang. They represent a liability, someone who could inform the police…for that reason and others, the rest of the gang beat them up…some gang members don't survive because they get beaten up so badly."

"That's the thing," Malcolm said. "There's a saying that the only way out of a gang is through a pine box."

"A casket," Muldoon said tonelessly. He shook his head in disbelief. "They're beating the bloody life out of him."

"Precisely," Tembo said from his chair. "Although by the time they're done, he may not have a life." He snickered. "Don't look so sad, Robert Muldoon. No one will miss him. I know I won't."

"My God," Ellie said in a hushed tone. "Even if he didn't get initiated into Biosyn under those terms…it's still a horrible way to get out."

"He didn't get jumped in, none of us did," Tembo said, leaning back in the chair. "The way we proved our loyalty to Dodgson was by coming to this island and causing trouble. Dennis did that long before I set foot here. Loyalty included not testifying against Dodgson at his trial and his initiation was his incarceration. Anyway, they're taking care of him now. He won't be a problem anymore."

"Dennis was loyal to him," Muldoon slowly, remembering his conversations with Nedry about Dodgson on the raft. "And this is how Dodgson thanks him?"

Tembo's eyebrows furrowed together. He was both confused and annoyed. "Listen to yourself. Who knew you were so incredibly stupid! Dennis is loyal to no one except himself—you of all people should know that. Dr. Dodgson is teaching him a long overdue lesson."

Muldoon said nothing. He couldn't come up with a response and although Tembo's chortling was enough to push over the edge, he couldn't bring himself to lash out. If anyone still doubted Nedry's change of heart, then knowing what was happening to him should set them straight. He looked at everyone else in the control room. Arnold held his cigarette between his fingers, allowing the smoke to trail. He stared at the floor and Muldoon wished he knew what he was thinking. Malcolm shook his head and Ellie sat with Lex, solemn and silent.

"Look at you. It's amazing."

"What is?" Muldoon asked, sending a murderous glare in Tembo's direction.

"Your heart bleeds for a man who wouldn't have shed a tear if you had been killed that day," Tembo said, his lips curling into a sneer.

"And that day is?"

There was only One Certain Day that would forever be imprinted in his memory.

"The day he let out the raptors and you were mauled to the point where your face was drenched in your own blood. You left the fight with scars. Lucky for you that's all you have to worry about…your scars of inadequacy."

Muldoon checked the chamber of his shotgun and loaded another dart. He aimed at Tembo, his fingers trembling as they neared the trigger.

"If it makes you feel better, send it straight to my heart. Then you'll spend time in prison with your favorite cellmate. They'll convict you of first degree murder and you'll be known as the game warden that lost his sanity because of vanity." Tembo thought for a moment and then chuckled. "Ha, that rhymes. Sanity and vanity. I'm really quite the poet."

Muldoon said nothing for a long time. Everyone else in the control room looked to him, expecting him to ask Tembo another question—or shoot another dart, whichever he chose first.

"What does Lewis Dodgson want? Why is he here?"

"The answer should be obvious to you, Robert Muldoon," Tembo said, staring ahead.

"I want details."

"He wants control of this island and International Genetics. He's tired of playing with embryos and dinosaur samples—he's taking everything for himself this time. You and your foolish co-workers put a lot of work into designing Jurassic Park. What a waste, because you'll never get to show this park to the world under InGen's name. Dodgson plans to acquire it under Biosyn's name. You did the work, now all he has to do is steal it and call it his own. Industrial espionage is Lew Dodgson's M.O. Is that so hard to understand?" Tembo met Muldoon's eyes this time, and they stared hatefully at each other.

"It is."

"Then you're as dumb as you look."

Muldoon swung his shotgun in Tembo's face, not flinching when blood and spittle hit him.

"Last one. This is the bonus question, so you better listen up."

"I'm all ears," Tembo said, making sure the contempt in his voice was unmistakable.

"What would it take to permanently remove Lew Dodgson from here?"

Everyone stared at Tembo, anticipating his answer. It was Tembo who broke the tense silence with his strange laughter. Ellie and Malcolm glanced at each other, and Arnold looked at Muldoon, unsure of how to interpret Tembo's response.

"There's nothing you can do—he's here to stay and that's that! You'll have to kill him or die trying…" Tembo laughed more, enjoying the confusion that he saw on everyone's faces. "You are a fool for thinking Dodgson's a pushover, when he's anything but. He's as ruthless as he is cruel, and his determination is deadly. You won't get rid of him so easily—or at all, for that matter. You're welcome to try though. Meanwhile, I'll sit back and laugh at your repeated failed attempts. You'll get tired after some time, and that's when we'll throw _your _farewell party. I'll be sure to attend!"

Furious, Muldoon raised the shotgun and aimed at Tembo's face. Tembo was oblivious to his response, and for a moment he shrugged at Muldoon, and then went back to laughing.

"I wonder what Dr. Dodgson will do without his precious Roland Tembo."

Muldoon was ready to pull the trigger, when there was a knock at the door. Malcolm lowered the shotgun so that the barrel was facing the floor.

"Wait, that might be Gerry," he said, approaching the entrance.

Ellie shook her head. "It's not Gerry; he's still in the park with Tim."

"Then who is it?" Malcolm asked, still focused on the entrance.

Arnold squinted and Muldoon stayed in front of Tembo. They were distracted for the time being, buying time for Tembo to try and loosen the cords tearing into his skin.

"It's King," Arnold said. He glanced back at Muldoon. "Howard King, remember Dodgson left him with us?"

Muldoon nodded and then lifted the shotgun again. "Let him in."

"Are you sure?"

"Bloody sure. Let him in…I have a surprise for him."

Tembo twisted around in the chair, straining against the cords holding him down. His eyes practically dove out of his skull, when he realized what Muldoon was about to do. Arnold opened the door to the control room and King stepped inside, still talking on his cell-phone.

"I don't know where everyone is, Lew." King was saying. "Roland disappeared leaving me—"

"_HOWARD! YOU STUPID IDIOT! GET OUT OF HERE!_" Tembo yelled.

"Too late." Muldoon pulled the trigger.

A sudden choked yelp erupted from King's throat and he crumpled to the floor at the entrance of the control room. The cell-phone clattered to the floor and Arnold snatched it.

"Pass it here," Ellie said and Arnold tossed it to her. "Hello?"

Everyone watched her handle the cell-phone. Ellie frowned and then smirked. "He can't talk right now, he's knocked out. Yes, literally. Good night and go to hell!"

She clicked the cell-phone shut and threw it in the wastebasket. Lex applauded and Malcolm high-fived Arnold. Another victory had been scored that night. King tried to get up and Arnold kicked him down. Tembo's face had taken on a bright crimson color and his eyes blazed with extreme fury.

"You're gonna get it—all of you. When Lew comes back—"

Muldoon punched Tembo across the face with his bare hands. Tembo's neck snapped back, blood flying in the air. "When Lew Dodgson comes back, we're showing him the front door. Or in this case, the helipad, so he can fly back to the hell he came from. He can take his band of merry whores with him."

He turned to everyone and realized the mood in the control room had changed. Arnold was laughing hard, totally unable to contain himself. It was the first time Muldoon had seen him that happy in a long time. Lex cheered and danced on the control room's table between the monitors. Malcolm smiled, grim, but still satisfied with what they did to King. Ellie pumped her fist in the air as if InGen had scored the winning touchdown in a football game against Biosyn.

"What are we gonna do about him?" Ellie asked, pointing at King who lay facedown on the floor.

"We should toss him in the raptor pen," Arnold said, stubbing his cigarette in the ashtray and quickly lighting a new one. "Let him find his way out. He can crawl up and over the fences."

"They're astonishing jumpers," Muldoon said quietly and then a twisted grin flashed across his face. "Dr. Malcolm, grab his ankles and hide him somewhere in the visitor center. Stuff him in a closet."

Malcolm hesitated, looking confused. "Are you sure about this?"

"Of course! Let Dodgson find him. Hide and seek in Jurassic Park. Kids love the park. Biosyn loves the park." Muldoon took out his flask and gulped liquor down. "Want something to drink, Roland Tembo? Last meal?"

"Watch when Dodgson comes. You'll see." Tembo now sat poker straight in the chair, blood splattered across his face.

"Yeah, we'll see," Arnold chimed in. "Won't we, Robert? Ellie? Ian?"

"Hey! You forgot about me!"

"You too, Lex!"

"_WE'LL SEE!_" everyone replied together and bust out laughing.

Tembo stiffened with anger, his eyes narrowed as he glared at them for enjoying their moment of triumph. Then he heard the unmistakable sound of heavy footsteps from far-off. Only it wasn't too far-off, but outside the control room as if the person or persons were on their way. He bit his lip, refusing to speak and waited patiently.

No one else appeared to notice anything different.

"C'mon, get rid of him," Muldoon said. "You got it, Ray?"

"Yeah," Arnold said, bending down and snatching King's ankles. "We really got carried away."

Ellie and Lex laughed at the sight of King lying facedown, while Arnold dragged his body across the floor of the control room and headed towards the entrance. Malcolm scuffed his sneaker on the floor, staring down at King's arms outstretched. He looked up and past Arnold, his eyes wide with apprehension. Muldoon realized the door to the control room was still open from when King entered and he thought it was a good thing until—

"Ray! Wait! Don't leave yet—"

Arnold dropped King's ankles when he heard Muldoon and felt himself brush against someone. _That's weird,_ he thought. Everyone in the control room was facing him: Malcolm, Ellie, Lex, and Muldoon. He caught Tembo's triumphant sneer and then turned around only to be pushed to the floor. There was a sudden crash of glass shattering and the smell of vodka permeated the control room.

Arnold looked up from his position on the floor and knew right then that the party was over.


	6. The Best of Enemies

**The Best of Enemies**

"What…the fuck…is going on here?"

Lewis Dodgson's words were slurred and spoken with deliberate slowness. Everyone could hear the rage in his voice. He walked into the control room, stepped over Howard King, and pointed an accusing his finger at Robert Muldoon.

"What the hell do you think you're doing, you stupid little shit?"

Muldoon glared at the sight of Dodgson wearing a police uniform, complete with nightstick, mace, handcuffs, firearm, flashlight, and a badge. _It's ironic for him to dress as a cop,_ Muldoon thought, _when he's the most lawless and unethical person standing in this room._ Even from where he stood, he could smell the combined stench of beer and cigars from Dodgson. After "visiting" Nedry, they had partied before returning to the island.

Sonya Durant, George Lawala, and Raúl Lopez entered the control room, followed by Donald Gennaro and Henry Wu. All of them, except for Gennaro, were dressed in orange prison jumpsuits. Muldoon's eyes lingered on the blood smear that stained Lopez's right sleeve. When he glanced at Sonya, he knew right then who had smashed the control room's glass window. Her cocky smirk revealed her as the culprit. Glass shards were littered all over the floor. Muldoon didn't even stop to consider when it would be cleaned up. He wanted to wring her pretty little neck for destroying InGen's property.

"Did you hear me the first fucking time? What the hell are you doing?!"

Muldoon met Dodgson's bloodshot eyes that gleamed with fierce hatred. It was the first time he had seen Dodgson minus the tinted shades he always wore. His eyes were steel gray as they stabbed everyone in the control room. _The eyes of a sociopath,_ Muldoon thought. They were emotionless save for the hatred and anger shining in them.

"I heard you the first time," Muldoon said tonelessly.

"And?" Dodgson waved his hand around, expecting him to explain why Tembo was tied to a chair with computer cords and how King wound up on the floor facedown.

"And we took care of your hired baby-sitters."

Dodgson didn't say anything. He turned around again, slowly, as though trying to keep his balance. He chuckled, but there was no joy in his hoarse laugh.

"How sugary sweet, the inmates took over the asylum. What a bunch of BULLSHIT!" Dodgson whipped out his nightstick and raised it high in the air. He opened his mouth to say something and then threw the nightstick to the floor. The park staff, except for Muldoon, winced at his aggressive gesture. Striding over to Tembo, Dodgson wiped his mouth with the back of his hand as though his profanities had made him dirty. He yanked at Tembo's cords and made one clear command, one that he did not intend to repeat. "Untie him."

Malcolm, Ellie, and Lex looked on with apprehension, watching to see what Muldoon would do. Their eyes darted from Muldoon to Dodgson to Tembo, and then back to Muldoon again.

Arnold got up and went to stand with them. As he joined them, he saw Gerry Harding and Tim Murphy arrive at the control room. Before they entered, Arnold saw the confusion on Harding's face. _Go to the staff lodge_, Arnold mouthed to him. Harding nodded and left with Tim. Arnold saw Tim look over his shoulder, totally puzzled as to what had happened in the control room while they were in the park tending to the sick maiasaur. He refocused his attention on Muldoon.

Nothing had changed.

The Biosyn team leered and gloated at the InGen staff, but did nothing to help Tembo. Gennaro and Wu looked around the control room as if it were there first time inside it. No one from InGen said a word. Arnold watched Muldoon stand up straight and meet Dodgson's penetrating glare. Muldoon wasn't intimidated and still held his shotgun in a tight grip.

"Untie him," Dodgson growled.

"No."

"Excuse me?"

"Hell no. If you want him untied, then do it yourself." Muldoon's voice was thunderous in the silent control room. He started towards the door; it was still halfway open from before when King had entered.

"One last chance. Fucking untie him. That's your final warning."

Muldoon stopped at the entrance and then went over to Dodgson.

They stared at each other face to face. Muldoon took out his flask and downed a quick sip. He swallowed, feeling the alcohol burn his throat. Dodgson watched him; his expression never changed. Muldoon noted his furious glare and spat a glob of saliva in Dodgson's face. Dodgson didn't utter a syllable, nor did he wipe away the spit dribbling off his cheek.

"Get one of your bloody whores to do it," Muldoon said, gesturing at the Biosyn team. Without another word, he left the control room.

He didn't wait for the others to join him and he hoped they wouldn't be intimidated by Dodgson's angry cursing to release Tembo. _Let Dodgson take care of his own, _Muldoon thought. _To hell with him and his staff—Henry and Gennaro included._ There were footsteps behind him. Muldoon turned around and felt emotions choke him. Malcolm stood with Ellie, his arm wrapped around her waist, and Arnold rested his hand protectively on Lex's shoulder. Muldoon nodded and heard movement from inside the control room. He figured Lopez or Sonya were doing the honors and untying Tembo and reviving King.

"You guys go ahead to the staff lodge," Muldoon said, clenching his shotgun. "I'll catch up later."

He watched them leave and then went back and slammed the control room door shut, knowing full well they could get out. By now, he didn't care about how Dodgson or any of them would react. Let Tembo have his rifle back and let Dodgson curse up a storm. _He knows who he's dealing with now,_ Muldoon thought, satisfied.

**oOo**

Two hours after Dodgson returned with his team, Muldoon ran into Lopez and Tembo. Tim, Harding, Lex, and Ellie had retired for the night. He didn't know where Arnold and Malcolm were, but he figured they were safe. The rest of the Biosyn team were either talking with Dodgson or sleeping. Muldoon didn't care, but he was shocked to run into Lopez and Tembo, or rather, they ran into _him_. He had been hanging around the raptor pen, standing on the visitor platform and gazing into the dense foliage when he heard two familiar voices. Tembo and Lopez were walking towards the raptor pen when they spotted Muldoon. Tembo acted as though the night's events never took place. He pointed in Muldoon's direction.

"There's that bleeding heart I told you about, Raúl."

Lopez glanced at Muldoon as they neared him. "I remember. He's the incompetent one who can't aim a water pistol."

Their voices were loud and it was obvious that they wanted him to hear their conversation.

"Yep, that's the one. Anyway, how'd it go?" Tembo asked.

"You should've been there. That's all I gotta say."

"What went down? Details."

"You missed out, Roland." Lopez grinned in Muldoon's direction and made sure he heard his next words. "Three B's, my friend."

Tembo's eyebrows rose. "Do tell."

"Bruised. Bloodied. And beaten."

Tembo cracked up laughing and for a full minute, his deep voice was the only sound among the three men. "He won't be bothering us for a long time," he said, collecting himself again.

"Nope. That cop's gonna transport him to the States. Get rid of him once and for all."

"That's good. Let him simmer down."

"Too bad about your favorite rival," Lopez said, still tipsy from the drinks he had after leaving the jail. He pointed at Muldoon. "You wish you were there to smack him around."

"If I had been there, _you_ would've been the one bruised, bloodied, and beaten," Muldoon said in a low voice.

"You jump to his defense after all this time! That's so sweet. I was under the impression you two hated each other—that you were the best of enemies."

"Everyone was."

"So you two were acting the whole time? Dennis is better than I gave him credit for. But…" Lopez stifled a chuckle. "He wasn't acting tonight, that's for sure. Hey Roland, you know he won't be able to type anymore, right?"

"Is that so? Break his fingers, did you?" Tembo grinned widely. "And to think, when Lew first got the team together he was whining about his certification being revoked."

Lopez nodded eagerly. "Baselton did the honors. Who knew that stuffy pinhead had it in him?"

"What did Dodgson do?"

"He watched and made sure we got the job done."

"I'm surprised he didn't participate."

"He spoke to him after we were finished. I thought he was gonna whip out a Colt. 45 and perform Nedry's coup de grace—shoot him in the head. No such luck."

"Too bad."

"But would you believe that son of a bitch tried to get in one shot?"

"Really?" Tembo's voice was laced with disgust. "What'd he do?"

"Spat in my eye. The bastard thought it'd be funny to spit his blood at me. I knocked him down for that one."

A cryptic smile lit up Muldoon's face. _Good,_ he thought. He unscrewed his flask and gulped liquor down. "You deserved that shot," he said.

Tembo and Lopez stopped mid-conversation and stared at him as if he belonged in an insane asylum.

Muldoon couldn't prevent what had happened to Nedry and Lopez's bragging infuriated him. He was glad that Arnold wasn't here to see this because it would further confirm that he really had softened and sympathized with Nedry. When he really thought about it, it wasn't sympathy as much as it was about doing the right thing. Muldoon swore if he had been there, he would have stopped the beating or at least tried to. _Dennis messed up a lot in his life, but he didn't_ _deserve that,_ Muldoon thought. Behind him, Lopez's voice was louder than before.

"Sonya sprayed his eyes full of pepper spray. Then we played volleyball with him."

Tembo laughed again. "Who served first?"

"I did, of course." Lopez slammed his clenched fist into his open palm to demonstrate.

"Five against one, that's real brave," Muldoon said dryly, still watching them from the raptor pen's visitor platform.

"It's a bonus that he was drugged up," Tembo shot back.

"Yep, five to one, drugged up—you can't beat that!" Lopez laughed.

"I bet you feel very proud," Muldoon observed.

"I do, and I'd do it again in a heartbeat."

"That wasn't even a real fight—Dennis would beat you in a real fight, man to man, and we all know it."

"Don't listen to him, Raúl, he's upset because of his little prize scars," Tembo said, sending a piercing glare in Muldoon's direction.

"I know and he's a pathetic drunk to top it off. Remember their fight that happened over here."

"Yeah, I bloody remember that he fought me one on one," Muldoon said. "I give him props for that…you on the other hand needed your little friends to help you. Speaks volumes of who you are."

Lopez rolled his eyes in annoyance. Turning his back on Muldoon, he continued his conversation with Tembo as though there had been no interruptions. "By the time we were through with him, his face looked like an eggplant."

"An eggplant, that's very descriptive."

"You shouldn't been there; it wasn't the same without you."

"Enough of that," Tembo snapped. "I have better things to do with my time. What about our new team-player, Dr. Wu? How did he take it?"

"He had to be coaxed at first. You should've seen him, standing to the side like a scared rabbit. Once Dodgson talked sense into him, he warmed up, took his first shot at Dennis, and was good to go after that."

"Good," Tembo said, pleased. "He's coming along."

"I told you he would. Just gotta be more patient with Henry. You know he's used to being with InGen trash like him." Lopez pointed at Muldoon.

"Point your bloody finger at me again and I'm coming down there and breaking it off your pudgy hand," Muldoon threatened as he came down from the visitor platform.

"You mean like how we did to Dennis?" Lopez asked. Tembo elbowed him and they broke into raucous laughter.

"You sound like a pack of hyenas. Wild, dirty, stinking hyenas."

Tembo gave Muldoon a mock bow. "Thank you for the compliment. Now go clean up your scars before I cut them open."

"Ooohhh!" Lopez instigated. "That's not nice, Roland."

Muldoon was silent for awhile and when he spoke again; his bass voice rang in their ears. "When you leave this island—and you will, you can bet your elephant rifle that it'll happen—you'll be unconscious and so badly injured you'll be forced to choke on your words."

Tembo's eyes narrowed to deadly slits. "I'll remember that idle threat, Robert Muldoon."

"You will—the day you wake up in a hospital bed and you're far away from this island. You'll remember my words and you'll know who put you in the hospital."

Before Tembo or Lopez could respond, Muldoon turned around and headed back to the staff lodge. His head pounded with a terrible headache and his stomach felt queasy. It was probably from lack of sleep and the pressure from everything that had occurred earlier that evening. A lot had happened from the moment he had overheard Gennaro's conversation with Dodgson. He was exhausted and ready to turn in for the night. The staff lodge was nearby. He quickened his pace, eager to throw himself on his bed and sleep the rest of the night. He was halfway there when he reached inside his pocket for his flask. One last sip would be great. Muldoon stopped and unscrewed the flask top to take a drink when it slipped from his fingers.

"Damn it," he muttered as he bent down to pick it up.

"Here, you dropped this."

The flask was offered to Muldoon. He squinted, trying to make out the person in front of him.

"Dr. Malcolm?"

"That's me, the most infamous mathematician alive today."

"I can barely see you, I'm tired as hell."

"Ah, that makes two of us then."

"What are you doing out here?" Muldoon got up and put his flask away. The liquor had spilled into the grass and he'd have to refill it tomorrow. It was just as well since all he wanted to do was sleep.

"Couldn't sleep so I took a walk around the area. I happened to overhear your conversation with Roland and Raúl."

"Did you?"

Malcolm nodded. "I did. Then I circled back here and ran into you."

"I see." Muldoon yawned and pointed towards the staff lodge. "We should head back; it's been a long night."

Malcolm nodded in agreement. "We can do that."

They started towards the staff lodge. Muldoon opened the door to the staff lodge using his security card and gestured for Malcolm to enter first. They walked in silence and Muldoon found himself heading towards the recreation room. For some reason, he didn't want to go to his room just yet. Malcolm followed him in and flicked on the light.

"Is that okay?"

"It's fine," Muldoon said, plopping down on the sofa. He realized he hadn't been in the recreation room in a long time. Noticing the turquoise carpet for the first time, he pointed at it, impressed. "InGen's colors, isn't that nice?"

"It is," Malcolm said, sitting on the opposite end. "As I mentioned before, I heard you talking with them."

"They were doing most of the talking, I was just listening."

"I noticed you got defensive when they joked about Dennis. Raúl bragged about his face looking like an eggplant at the end."

"They're ridiculous, especially Roland. He thinks he can have my job. Lopez hates Dennis' guts…he said we were the best of enemies, but I'm beginning to think me and Roland are the best of enemies, as are Raúl and Dennis."

Malcolm nodded. "Actually I wanted to talk to you about him."

Muldoon was suddenly wide awake and he sat up on the couch. "Why?"

"Because it's obvious that your views of him have changed a lot since the last time he was here."

"What about him? Or is this about me?"

"Both."

"What is it, Dr. Malcolm? Ask."

"Why do you feel compelled to defend him?"

Muldoon shot him a glare. "I've already explained myself to you and Ray about it, and now you're asking me—"

"I know you explained before, but I want to get further insight. You don't have to justify your change of heart."

Muldoon sighed. "He's complicated. He's not as black and white as he appears. I saw a lot of grays in him when we were stranded on the island. Everyone or mostly everyone has gray in their character. I had been looking at him in extremes."

"Like how you viewed the raptors?"

Muldoon nodded. "Exactly like that. I hated them; you know how I felt about those vicious things. It was the same with Dennis. I had viewed him as a slob, a criminal and nothing more."

"That's understandable. His character is a reflection of his actions and vice versa. You hated what he did to InGen, and that in turn fed your animosity towards each other."

Muldoon looked at Malcolm, puzzled. If he knew all this, then why was he asking? He voiced his question aloud.

"Because I think you're confused about where he stands now. He's still a traitor, but a benevolent one. He backstabbed InGen, but saved your life when you were in danger. So now your view of him is blurry. Is he all bad or all good? It goes back to how _you_ think in extremes. Then again, your way of seeing the world is not distorted like his."

"What do you mean?" Muldoon was intrigued.

Malcolm stifled a yawn. "Despite his brilliance, Dennis _is_ a criminal. He has distorted views on the way the world works, how he relates to people, how he sees himself and others around him and his situations. Your present and past views of him are on point, but now you're confused, and others, like Ray, are confused too. Still, you don't see the world the way he does."

"Distorted?"

"Yes. Extremely distorted."

"I'm an expert on animal behavior, not human behavior."

"Two very different things."

"They are," Muldoon agreed. "Similar in some aspects, but different in many others."

"One thing to remember: he doesn't just act like a criminal, he thinks like one. His mind is always thinking ahead, planning the next step, looking to get over authority to see if he can get away with his schemes."

"You can think like that and not be a criminal."

Malcolm held up a single digit. "Maybe, but let's take it a step further. Would you have done what he did?"

"Steal from InGen and betray John? Absolutely not."

"Okay..." Malcolm watched Muldoon closely. "And why not?"

"I would've gotten caught. I value honor and my job. Lying and stealing is wrong."

"Stop sugar-coating. Say it straight out."

Muldoon threw his hands up in the air. "What exactly do you want me to say?"

"I'll say it for you: you have boundaries. To a certain extent, you're locked in society's mores or morals. Lying is dishonorable, stealing is wrong."

"And you can get locked up and do time behind bars."

"Keep going, you're getting there," Malcolm said.

"I have limits. Limits as to what I would do. Limits that he doesn't have."

"Exactly. He's freer than you in that aspect, although what he does costs him his freedom." He saw Muldoon's eyebrows knit together in confusion. "It's a paradox, an irony, if you will."

Muldoon thought about it. He remembered discussing freedom in the raft with Nedry and now it made sense to him. They had talked about physical freedom in the beginning of their conversation, but there was another freedom that was subtle. Muldoon didn't have this type of freedom, but Nedry did.

"He thinks he's free to do what he wants—even if it's the wrong thing. Working for John is stressful for you, yet you have enough moral restraint in your mind and character to not act out against him or betray his trust. Be it because it's been drummed into your head that stealing and lying is wrong or because you hold yourself to a higher level—you still hold back, whereas, he doesn't."

"It's like a mental freedom," Muldoon said. "For him to do as he pleases and when he gets caught, it's like you're infringing on him because he feels entitled to doing what he wants." Now it made sense.

"That's pretty much it. Don't you think that's a distorted way of thinking?"

"It is." Muldoon couldn't disagree there.

Malcolm tapped his wrists. "What do they use on prisoners when transporting them to prison or to court?"

"Handcuffs and shackles," Muldoon said dryly.

"Why do you think that is?"

"Make sure they don't escape. Limit their movement. I'm repeating myself here. It's protection against the sheriff and correction officers transporting them as well as to ensure they don't hurt themselves or others."

"Correct. As tight and as firm as those restraints are, the prisoner's mind is still thinking and plotting. I'm sure he was doing that on the night he was transported to the correctional facility."

"He's still free in his mind."

Muldoon remembered what Nedry told him on the way to Costa Rica when they were in the police boat. _You have no rights according to these stupid cops, but you're free in your mind. You can say and think whatever you like, they can't take that from you _and _you're free whenever you want to be._ That was the type of freedom that described Nedry. Muldoon felt his version of freedom was along the lines of being free from any responsibility to InGen and Jurassic Park. He also wanted to be free from the stress of his job, and free of any expectation that others placed on him to be the savior of InGen. He wanted to be free of that particular burden, but he doubted this would ever happen.

"Yes. Imagine it like this: you're fed up with working for John Hammond and you _think_ about selling secrets to the competition. You don't actually go and do it, but you entertain the thought. You follow me?"

Muldoon nodded.

"Many people do that—they entertain the thought of doing something they shouldn't do. But for some, it's not just a thought—it becomes an action," Malcolm said. "They go out and do it thinking they're above the law, that they won't get caught, that their situation is desperate enough. Who does that sound like to you?"

"Sounds like Dennis. Henry Wu, Lewis Dodgson, Roland Tembo and everyone else associated with Biosyn."

Malcolm sighed. "Do you see what I'm saying now?"

"I do, but where are you going with this?"

"We're getting there. When he got you out and you regained consciousness, you were shocked. Why?"

Muldoon thought about it, leaning against the sofa. He'd have to sleep the entire day tomorrow, although he knew he couldn't. "He surprised me. I thought he would've left me there to drown."

"You were shocked that he had boundaries of some sort."

"Yes, that's it."

Malcolm was silent for a moment as he took this in. "You know, just as you don't see him in black and white terms anymore, I think he's come to respect you, or at least admire your 'self-righteousness' as he calls it."

"How so?"

"He realized the night he was arrested that it was your self-righteousness that defended him against a brutal cop. No one else defended him."

"You didn't."

Malcolm nodded slowly, somewhat embarrassed. "You're right. I didn't and it's not because of personal grievances I have against him. I didn't want to be next in line of Contreras' warpath."

"I was," Muldoon said, shrugging. "But that night's long over…I didn't imagine it'd be a nightmare when we finally returned."

"I didn't either." Malcolm closed his eyes as he leaned back on the sofa. "The point is you both established an unspoken and very unlikely connection when you were forced to stay on Isla Sorna. Just as you'll never forget that he saved your life, he will always remember that you, of all people, defended him. You both made an impact on each other that changed the way you view each other."

"I guess so…" It felt weird to have someone voice the obvious aloud for Muldoon, and it wasn't surprising that it was Malcolm who put everything out there.

"I know this may seem repetitive," Malcolm said slowly, "but do you think he was honestly regretful for what he did to John?"

"Honestly, yes, I do. Now it's my turn to ask: why do you keep asking me the same question?" Muldoon hoped he didn't sound too irritated.

"I ask because sociopaths display shallow emotions. They can pretend to feel an emotion to the point where it looks genuine."

"Do you think Dennis is a sociopath? I consider Lewis Dodgson to be one."

Malcolm thought for a moment. "Dennis has the traits of anti-social personality disorder, but it doesn't mean he has the full disorder."

"He mentioned that on Sorna—that the prison psychologists diagnosed him with that."

"I'm not surprised," Malcolm said thoughtfully, "then again, it's a strong diagnosis, and implies that he can't change, which is the opposite of what you've been telling us this entire night. It's very hard to treat, especially since people who have it don't see a problem with themselves; instead, they see everyone else as the problem. Anti-social personality is completely different from being asocial, the terms are often misused. Asocial is not wanting to socialize with others and sometimes choosing to be alone. Someone with anti-social personality disorder shows disregard for others' rights, is manipulative and impulsive, and can appear charming. They lack remorse and are pathological liars."

"That sounds exactly like Dodgson," Muldoon said. "He charmed everyone here when I was gone, and he has no remorse for anything he does."

"Not everyone—he didn't fool me or Ellie. Nor did he pull the wool over Gerry's eyes, or Tim's and Lex's. He was able to manipulate Ray though; he took advantage of him. Ray didn't see it until it was too late."

Muldoon shook his head, disappointed and saddened. He didn't know what to say about that last part; especially since he knew Arnold had done all he could during those two months. He was so stressed out that any help was better than none, and it was unfortunate that the form of "help" came disguised as a friend or fellow InGen staff.

"There's no question about Dodgson," Malcolm said firmly. "He's a sociopath and a charismatic one at that."

"He went to the mainland to teach Dennis a 'lesson', by having the team he worked with decimate him. That means a sociopath is capable of turning against his own, doesn't it?"

"Absolutely, but see, I don't think he's afraid of Dodgson, and Dodgson doesn't like that."

"No?" Again, Muldoon was intrigued by Malcolm's theories on how the Biosyn team worked.

Malcolm shook his head. "Nope. In fact, I bet Dennis Nedry is the first person to stand up to him and Dodgson's not used to that. He's accustomed to exercising control over everyone, especially his team. That's how he operates: false promises, bright smiles, and smooth words."

"So if the point to frighten Dennis didn't work, why else would he do it?"

"Simple. To instill fear in the rest of the team. He has to ensure that the rest of his staff is kept in line, and what better way to do it than to beat the daylights out of your former colleague?"

"That's twisted—_he's_ twisted."

"He definitely is," Malcolm agreed. "Lewis Dodgson is a sick person, and anyone who's unfortunate to cross his path eventually finds that out I'm sure. But to go back to what we originally were talking about…the connection between you and Dennis is fascinating. There was so much hatred and rage that night in John's bungalow, and this is coming from an outside perspective. Sometimes it's hard for others like Ray to understand how everything changed because of everything that's gone on before. Even I was surprised that night you defended him, but I knew there was a reason behind it. Eventually it would come to light."

"I guess it has."

"It's hard for Ray though, he was with you at the east dock, in the courtroom—you two have been through a lot so it's difficult for him to see you take up for Dennis."

"I know," Muldoon said. "It's definitely not something I would've done before that night in Hammond's bungalow."

"Why didn't you say that before?"

Muldoon and Malcolm turned around when they heard Arnold's question. Arnold closed the door to the recreation room and padded in. Dressed in pajamas and slippers, Arnold looked like he hadn't slept in two months. Malcolm stood up and gestured for Arnold to sit in his place.

"I think it's time I allow you two to talk," Malcolm said, heading to the door. "I've spoken enough for tonight."

"Thanks, Dr. Malcolm," Muldoon said.

Malcolm nodded. "Good night, guys. Tomorrow's a new day; we'll take it from there." He left the recreation room.

There was a heavy silence between them. Muldoon was unsure of what to say. Arnold lit a cigarette. _We're not supposed to smoke in here, _Muldoon thought. _Then again, I'm not supposed to be drinking. _

"Light me one too, Ray."

"Sure thing."

Arnold lit a second cigarette and passed it to Muldoon.

"I ran out of liquor, and will fill up my flask tomorrow."

Arnold nodded as he looked around the recreation room. It was a medium sized room with a television, VCR, two tables, and a miniature fridge. Back in the park construction days, the staff referred to the recreation room as 'the lounge', a place where they could kick back and relax. It had been a very long time since they had been there together as a group: Arnold, Muldoon, Nedry, Wu, and Harding. Arnold had a sinking feeling they would never hang out here as a group again. At least, he could still come in here to take the time alone to contemplate matters…and talk with a trusted friend.

"So what's going on?" Muldoon asked, deciding to start on a light tone. He didn't want to argue with Arnold again.

"I was having trouble sleeping," Arnold said, taking a drag on his cigarette. "I spoke to Gerry earlier about what happened."

"How'd he take it?

Arnold shook his head. "He couldn't believe it, he thinks Dodgson's gonna retaliate."

"He probably will."

"That's the part that has him scared. Me too, to be honest."

"It was a risk we took—that had to be taken."

"I guess so. It was getting fun until _he_ came back."

Muldoon chuckled. "It actually was. I was tempted to toss King in the raptor pen."

"I was wondering where the 'astonishing jumpers' comment came from. Now I know. You'll never forget the raptors, huh?"

Now it was Muldoon who shook his head. "I can't. I'm glad they're gone, I thank God for that everyday, but I won't forget them as long as I live. They're the most vicious and bloodthirsty creatures I ever worked with. They made an African spotted hyena look like a docile household pet in comparison, and I dealt with plenty of those shrieking devils."

Arnold looked at Muldoon and puffed on his cigarette. "Do you miss Africa?"

"Sometimes I do, but I wanted to leave there and come here. It's been one helluva trip." Muldoon looked around for an ashtray to put out his cigarette. "I much prefer liquor, but I appreciate the thought, Ray."

"No problem." Arnold took out an ashtray. "I knew I was gonna smoke, so I carried it with me."

"Thanks," Muldoon said, stubbing out his cigarette. "Is there anything you want to talk about?"

"Sorta. I heard you and Malcolm talking about him..." Arnold paused as if deciding whether or not to voice that person's particular name aloud. "So I decided to see what's up."

"We were," Muldoon started; then stopped. Nedry was the last topic that caused their argument and he didn't want to repeat history. "I know you don't believe me."

"I didn't come in here to argue with you, Robert," Arnold said gently.

Muldoon didn't speak. The last time Arnold spoke those words had been when Muldoon returned from the mainland after Contreras' interrogation. He had been in the cafeteria, drinking alone. Arnold had tried to talk with him and it led to bitter arguing and an awkward tension that had never existed before. He felt bad for assuming that Arnold was there to argue with him now. He realized Arnold was worried about them arguing too; otherwise he wouldn't have mentioned it.

"I thought about what Ian said, and I'm trying to see where you're coming from. It's hard."

"I know it is…it was for me on Sorna, even after he saved my life."

Muldoon now met Arnold's eyes. There was something about eye contact that made him feel their communication was important. Their conversation wasn't just words in the air, but something that demonstrated the connection and friendship they previously had. Eye contact meant they were ready to hear each other and rebuild the mutual respect they had shared over the years.

"I was bothered by what Roland told us and how callous he was about it," Arnold spoke slowly, as if worried about saying the wrong thing. "That they would beat him like that…it's disturbing. I used to work with him and really respect his intelligence, you know? I may not have liked Dennis, but I'll give credit where it's due. That man knew his stuff when it came to computers and designing software."

"Interesting that you say that."

"Why?"

"On Sorna, Dennis mentioned that he liked working with you. Said that you knew your stuff."

Arnold sighed and puffed on his cigarette. "Funny how things come out when you least expect them. What goes unsaid sometimes holds more weight than what's said."

Muldoon blinked. "That's deep, Ray."

"It's something Ian told me when you were stranded at Sorna. He and I had long talks many times. He'd stay with me in the control room and even had to coax me out several times, him and Ellie. He's a very intelligent man."

Muldoon nodded. "I can't dispute that."

They were quiet for a minute, each lost in their thoughts. Then Arnold spoke.

"There is one thing, Robert…and I want you to think about what I'm telling you."

"What is it?" Muldoon closed his eyes. Sleep was pulling him down into a vortex.

"I respect where you're coming from where it concerns Dennis. I'm trying to," he quickly added. "My main thing is this: would he defend you if it were _you_ getting beaten?"

Muldoon felt the same anger that he experienced earlier in the control room when he and Arnold argued about Nedry. "How could you even ask something like that? After everything that's happened?!"

"That's my point, after everything said and done; he's still a traitor—"

"We went through this already." This time Muldoon made no effort to hide his annoyance.

"I'm just saying, if it were you getting beaten up, would he laugh at you? Or do you think he'd really have your back and defend you?"

Muldoon kept silent for a while. "I don't know." His voice was barely audible.

Arnold got up from the sofa. "The fact that you don't know means you're still not sure about him."

Muldoon shook his head and turned the question over in his mind, but he couldn't come up with an answer he would've liked, and furthermore, he didn't know what answer it would've been anyway.

"I have another question for you."

Muldoon nodded in Arnold's direction, but chose to say nothing.

"Why didn't you ask Roland Tembo about John? Or even Henry? I thought you were going to ask about them."

"I don't know…I know John is in the hospital still recovering."

"He's doing well, you know," Arnold said. "We can't forget about him just because he's on the mainland and not here. It can't be like that saying: out of sight, out of mind."

"You're right."

"Everything we do on this island to keep it together, we do it for John. It's what he would've wanted…but I have a confession."

"What's that?" Muldoon looked puzzled.

"Sometimes I'm glad he's there," Arnold said quietly, and he looked over his shoulder to make sure no one heard him. "I'm glad he's there and not here. He would be heartbroken if he knew the truth of what was happening on his island. That, or go insane. It would tear him apart. Sometimes I hope he stays there until this whole thing blows over or we make them leave—whichever comes first."

"Is he ready to leave the hospital?"

"No, and that's fine with me. He's still taking intensive therapy to overcome the effects of the stroke. I just don't want him to get any ideas of returning here before he's ready or _we're_ ready. I just wish we could take the kids more often to visit him. They love that and John loves it too."

"Did you go while I was gone?" Muldoon kept his tone even, not betraying the sadness he felt by what Arnold was telling him.

"We went once. I wish we had gone more times, especially for Tim and Lex. It's good for them to see their grandfather, and it does wonders for John. He's so different now."

"In what way?"

"More grandfatherly—if that makes sense. Just seems more tamed down. He asked about you and Dr. Grant, since he's aware of who's there and who isn't."

"That's interesting that he's calmed down. What did you tell him?"

"I told him you had errands to complete on the island and he was fine with that, but I can't keep telling him that. So I'm glad you're back now so that when you see him, that is, _if_ we're able to see him, you can come along and put his mind at ease."

A grim smile flashed across Muldoon's face. "So we lie to cover up more lies."

"It was the best I could do at the time," Arnold said, defensively.

"I'm not judging, I'm just saying…" Muldoon's voice trailed off. "I could've asked Tembo about Hammond…I don't know why I didn't. I don't think I would've been able to handle whatever he said. He was pissing me off with his other comments. I'm afraid he would've laughed about Hammond being in the hospital. If he had done that, I would've finished him off."

Arnold was going to press the issue, but he could tell by the way Muldoon hung his head and avoided looking up, that he felt guilty about not bringing up Hammond before.

"Okay…and what about Henry?"

Muldoon shrugged. "What's there to ask about?"

"You could've found out how long he's been with Biosyn."

"He may not even know how long Wu's been hanging around on the enemy lines. And Wu pisses me off to the point where I want to shoot his bloody head off."

Arnold chuckled. "I wish you would. He's so arrogant now, it's like he's a different person."

"Tell me about it."

Both men were silent, stewing in their own thoughts. Muldoon yawned again and Arnold glanced at the clock on the wall. It was nearly three in the morning.

"You know what—let's forget about tonight. Go to sleep and try not to think about any of this."

"That's the best thing I've heard all night," Muldoon said. "Aside from hearing Tembo talk about how he's going to have my position as game warden." He got up from the sofa and went to the door, holding it open for Arnold.

"He said that to you?" Arnold's eyebrows rose.

"Yeah, he can keep dreaming. It's not going to happen, not in this lifetime."

"I hope to God not."

"Don't worry; I'll make sure it doesn't. Good night, Ray."

"Night, Robert. Take it easy, and don't take what I said about Dennis to heart. I'm just looking out for my friend."

Muldoon nodded and yawned. He didn't bother to cover his mouth when he closed the door to the recreation room behind him. Both men went their separate ways to their rooms to catch up on much needed rest. Tonight was over and as Malcolm said earlier, tomorrow was a new day.

**oOo**

The next day was strangely eerie and relaxing on Isla Nublar for Biosyn and InGen staff alike. Muldoon and Harding went about their usual tasks, checking on dinosaurs in the park to make sure they were healthy and monitor maintenance on every part of the island. Lex and Tim stayed in the staff lodge and periodically went to visit Ellie in her greenhouse. Arnold remained in the control room and kept in touch with everyone on InGen's team via walkie-talkie. Malcolm made his rounds to the staff lodge, the greenhouse, and the control room. Gennaro slipped in and out of the control room to check up on Arnold, but remained silent.

They even ate lunch and dinner together as a group in the cafeteria, minus Gennaro and Wu of course. It was brief, but the enjoyment was felt and shared by everyone. They didn't spend enough time working and sharing together and since Biosyn occupied their island, they were forced to really appreciate each other's company. Muldoon didn't think it should've taken Biosyn's occupation to pull the staff together, but he was glad that everyone to enjoyed their peace.

The uncanny silence from their rivals continued throughout the day and for the rest of the week.

Although Dodgson had not yet addressed what the InGen staff did to Tembo during his absence, it was only a matter of time before he said something about, or rather, _did_ something about it. The Biosyn team was well aware that he was formulating a plan and so they stayed away from the InGen staff. Lawala and Tembo guarded the visitor center, while Lopez and Sonya drove around the park in the gas-powered jeeps, marveling at the dinosaurs. King and Baselton lingered around Dodgson, attentive to his every request. They seemed to know they would turn the tables in their favor very soon. Dodgson wandered in and out of John Hammond's bungalow, the park, and the visitor center. He wore his usual tinted shades and pressed business suit as though he were attending important meetings.

He said nothing to the InGen staff.

Out of curiosity, Arnold asked Malcolm about Dodgson's silence. He had come to value Malcolm's insight and if anyone had an idea about what was brewing on Isla Nublar, it would be him.

"Do you think Dodgson got the message?" Arnold asked; when Malcolm entered the control room around mid-afternoon on Sunday. "He hasn't said a word to our staff, the kids—nobody. He doesn't acknowledge anyone, even if they're in the same room."

Malcolm thought for a moment before answering. "Yes, I think he did…and I think he's about to send us a message too. Only it will be _deafening_."

Arnold stubbed his cigarette and stared at the video monitor that showed the same sick maiasaur lagging around the paddock. Harding had gone to check on her earlier with Muldoon.

"Dr. Malcolm…Ian...please don't take this the wrong way."

"But?"

"But I hope you're dead wrong this time."

"I'd like to believe that I'm wrong too, but as you know, 'the calm always comes before the storm' as the saying goes…and that's what this is."

"When do you think the 'storm' will break?"

Malcolm took a deep breath and met Arnold's gaze. "When we least expect it, when we're not looking for it to happen."

"When we think everything's gone back to normal?"

"Yes." Malcolm nodded. "That's when."

* * *

**Authors's Notes:** Hello! I hope everyone is enjoying the story. I've become fascinated with personality disorders and human behavior, so that's why there's that little piece between Malcolm and Muldoon. I truly believe Dodgson is a sociopath, especially when he tried to kill Sarah Harding in The Lost World novel and acted as though he did nothing wrong, and also his experiment in Chile. The guy's reckless and lives for the thrill of hurting others. Thank you again for continuing to read my story and for sharing your comments. It is always appreciated!

**-- Sassy Lil Scorpio**


	7. Crush The Competition

**Crush The Competition**

Just as Ian Malcolm feared and accurately predicted, the silence from Lewis Dodgson and the Biosyn team was "the calm before the storm". One week after Robert Muldoon held Roland Tembo prisoner in the control room; the storm started to rage on Isla Nublar.

It started around six in the morning. Gerry Harding was awakened by a loud banging on his bedroom door in the staff lodge. He forced himself to get out of bed, even though he wanted to ignore the constant knocking and go back to sleep. Slipping his feet into his slippers and throwing on his terrycloth robe, Harding made his way to the door and opened it. Right away he wished he had stayed in his bed, even if it meant they would kick down his door.

Raúl Lopez pointed Muldoon's shotgun—an Italian Franchi—straight at Harding.

"What in the world do you want?" Harding knew his tone was harsh, but what else did Lopez expect from him, especially waking him this early? "It's six o'clock in the morning."

"There's a mandatory meeting in the visitor center's cafeteria. Be there seven o'clock sharp."

"But—"

It was too late. Lopez had already walked off and went to the next door. Harding watched from his doorway as Ray Arnold threw open his door, a half lit cigarette dangling from his mouth.

"What the hell?"

"Mandatory meeting in the visitor's center."

Arnold poked his head out and sent a questioning glance to Harding, who shrugged. He was completely mystified by what was going on. At the same time…Arnold had a horrible feeling that it involved what Muldoon did to Tembo the week before.

"I'm not goin' anywhere," he muttered. "You can tell Dodgson that I'm not showing up to his little last minute meeting." Arnold started back in his room ready to close the door when Lopez yanked him by the collar and slammed him against the wall.

Harding's eyes widened to the point where he felt it would hurt to blink. He left his room to defend his friend when Lopez dropped the shotgun. He whirled around, gripping Arnold's collar while he pointed at Harding.

"You listen…and you listen real good." His voice was a feral growl. "This isn't optional. It's _mandatory_. If you choose to skip out, then Dodgson will take care of you as he sees fit. You can take my word for it…it won't be pretty."

Lopez released Arnold after slamming him against the wall once more and then continued down the hallway, oblivious to Harding's quizzical stare.

**oOo**

It was a quarter to seven in the morning when Harding and Arnold opened the cafeteria's double doors. Upon entering the cafeteria, they were met by a deathly silence similar to a prison's execution chamber.

The first thing they noticed was that everyone was seated apart from each other.

Ellie Sattler sat at a table by herself, her eyes downcast. Sonya Durant was seated at table behind her, separating her from Lex Murphy, who sat in the third back table. Sonya hummed while polishing her shotgun. Across the room, Muldoon sat at the same table with Tembo. From Muldoon's stolid expression, it was clearly not voluntary. Even from where he stood, Arnold could see that Muldoon's eyes were bloodshot as if he had spent the entire night drinking. At another table, George Lawala sat between Ian Malcolm and Tim Murphy. Lawala held a shotgun on the table in front of him. It worked effectively as a silent threat that he'd shoot them at a second's notice.

No one spoke and Arnold found it hard to believe that this was the same area where the park staff held a sweet-sixteen party for Lex years ago. Had the years passed by so quickly? How long ago was Lex's party? One year? Two years? He didn't know anymore. Beside him, Harding remained frozen in position and then abruptly took a step. Arnold turned halfway around and immediately felt a shotgun's barrel pressed against his back. Through his pajamas and robe, he could feel the cold round metal of the gun's barrel as if it were making an indentation on his skin, branding its mark.

"Keep moving."

Arnold recognized Lopez's raspy voice and dimmed accent.

"Sit over there."

Lopez pointed the shotgun at a table situated on the left end of the cafeteria where no one sat. Arnold went over and took a seat. He recognized the shotgun Lopez used: an Italian Franchi SPAS-12. Muldoon's favorite choice. Gesturing with the shotgun, Lopez pointed at an empty table towards the back of the cafeteria. Arnold watched as Harding silently obeyed, and went to the back where he was directed to go. Lopez stood near the entrance of the cafeteria and nodded in approval at Sonya, Lawala, and Tembo, all of whom remained in their positions of keeping the InGen staff separate from each other. Lopez was thrilled and he couldn't wait for Dodgson to explain what he had in store for the park staff and those pesky kids.

Earlier in the morning, at around half past one, he and Tembo had caught Muldoon out by the raptor enclosure. He had been twirling his ring of keys and drinking heavily, and had sobered up as soon as Tembo and Lopez approached him. Wasting no time, they ambushed him and being that he wasn't one hundred percent sober, Muldoon hadn't been able to defend himself. He threw punches and completely missed Tembo, who didn't budge or blink. It was obvious that Muldoon's coordination was compromised due to the alcohol and before he realized it, he dropped the keys and Tembo snatched them up like a five-year-old grabbing candy from a broken piñata. From there, they had forced him to show them where he stored his weapons. The rest had been taken care of as soon as Dodgson was immediately alerted. Dodgson had already planned on getting a hold of Muldoon's firearms; it was a matter of good timing. And Tembo and Lopez happened to have good timing at one-thirty in the morning. Muldoon was the first one to sit in the cafeteria and had to wait for hours while Lopez, Sonya, and Lawala rounded up the remaining InGen staff.

Now they sat waiting. _They won't wait too much longer,_ Lopez thought, _because Dodgson's punctual._ He glanced at his watch; the hands read six fifty-nine. Just then the double doors opened, and Howard King and George Baselton walked in followed by Donald Gennaro, Henry Wu, and behind them, Lewis Dodgson. They fanned out across the cafeteria leaving Dodgson behind. Lopez gave the thumbs-up to Dodgson to let him know they were on point with him and ready to begin the "mandatory meeting".

Dodgson nodded silently at Lopez. He was well-rested and jubilant to see the entire park staff sitting in the cafeteria waiting for him. His staff had followed his exact orders: get every single person affiliated with InGen, bring them to the cafeteria, and don't allow anyone to sit with each other. _Keep 'em separated_. That was the order for the day. Dodgson wore a new black business suit with gray pinstripes and his trademark tinted shades for the occasion. He took one more glance around and was glad that Gennaro, Baselton, King, and Wu had taken the initiative and established themselves at various points in the cafeteria to further keep the InGen staff divided.

_Divided,_ Dodgson liked that word. If he were a minister getting ready to preach on the pulpit, his message would've been entitled _Divide and Conquer_. It had a lovely ring to it, especially where InGen was concerned. _Time to get this fucking party started,_ he thought as he marched to the center of the room.

"Good morning, everyone. Thank you for being considerate enough to attend this important meeting. I hope everyone rested well." Dodgson grinned and weaved in and out between the tables. "I'm going to jump straight to the point since we're all here and have a busy day ahead of us. It has come to my attention…that my staff," he gestured at his team, "is having conflicts with yours."

Arnold looked at him glumly and Ellie simply blinked.

"As the administrator of this island, I cannot allow this to continue. From the moment I've arrived on Isla Nublar, I tried to work together with everyone seated before me. However, it appears that I continue to be met with resistance. After today, that won't be an issue."

Dodgson removed his shades and shoved them in his pocket. He made eye contact with everyone from InGen so they would know by his next words that he wasn't playing around.

"We're going to change the way things are run around here. I believe that separating each of you and having you work one-to-one with my staff will soften the tensions felt by everyone. You'll be better aquatinted with my staff and they will be better aquatinted with you. Howard? The list."

King handed a manila folder to Dodgson. He opened it and found the paper he was looking for.

"Listen carefully, because I'm only going over this once. I'm going to say your name and who you're paired with—and this isn't just for today, but for the rest of the time that I'm here, which is for good so you better adjust quickly. Okay…" He skimmed over the list and then looked directly at Ellie. "Dr. Sattler, you're with Sonya."

Sonya got up and went to sit at the same table as her. Ellie didn't acknowledge her presence and kept her focus straight ahead.

"Henry, you'll keep an eye on Dr. Gerry Harding and make sure he takes care of all the sick dinosaurs in the park—not just his personal favorites." Dodgson met Harding's glare.

Wu grinned, thrilled at the prospect of keeping watch over his ex-colleague.

"Mr. Lawala will be keeping you company in the control room, Mr. Arnold."

Neither Arnold nor Lawala looked thrilled.

"George—as in George Baselton, you'll rotate from the park, to the greenhouse, and to the control room in the visitor center to ensure that everyone remains on task."

"Will do, Dr. Dodgson."

Dodgson pointed at King, who stood between the back tables where Harding and Lex sat.

"Howard, you'll be joining me and Donald in the cafeteria for breakfast. We're going to discuss negotiations as far as Jurassic Park and Isla Nublar are concerned. So when everyone leaves, we'll be staying here."

King nodded and Gennaro folded his arms across his chest.

"You have any questions about this, Mr. Gennaro?"

Gennaro shook his head. "No."

Dodgson's cold gray eyes raked over him, attempting to detect any hint of betrayal. He didn't like the negative vibes he picked up from Gennaro. Dodgson made a mental note to give him a lengthy explanation for his actions once they were alone in the cafeteria. _Maybe he needs dollar bills waved in his face again. _Dodgson turned back to the rest of the group.

"Aren't you forgetting someone?" Tembo asked; malicious glee in his voice.

"Too true," Dodgson said. He refocused his attention on Muldoon, who glared at him with extreme hatred. "I'm quite sure you know your assignment, Mr. Muldoon, but in case you don't, let me make it crystal clear for you. From now on, you'll be taking Roland into the park and into the paddocks whenever necessary. It can be at any time, day or night, so your best bet is to stay alert."

Muldoon glared at him and didn't get up from his seat when Tembo did.

"That assignment starts now. Not in an hour, not in five minutes, but this very fucking second."

Muldoon slowly rose from his chair, making it scratch against the floor on purpose. Dodgson watched him and then went to the front of the cafeteria and opened up the double doors. Tembo and Muldoon were near the doors when he motioned them to stop.

"Just one last thing, Roland, and then you two are on your way." He turned back to his audience. "I leave you all with this: you have a choice. You can work with me or against me. If you choose to work against me, then you don't leave room for yourself to breathe on this island."

Dodgson watched the InGen staff carefully when he said this. Malcolm simply stared at him, trying to figure out how he ticked. Everyone else averted their eyes, refusing to look in his direction. The Biosyn staff smirked in triumph. Lawala was the only one from his staff that appeared disinterested. Dodgson decided to ignore him for now. He'd eventually warm up to the idea of the Biosyn team controlling InGen's every move. _He better if he wants to stay on the team, _Dodgson thought, _or if he values his life…_

"This will be ongoing until I decide that everyone has learned to work together. We'll meet everyday at seven o'clock in the morning in the cafeteria. Weekends included. Dinner time is the only time InGen will be allowed to sit together and talk. The rest of the day you are all too busy taking care of Isla Nublar and Jurassic Park. Another words, there's no reason why any of you should be out there screwing around or whispering to each other about the latest gossip. Anyone who doesn't like this can speak now or forever hold your peace."

Silence confronted him. _Good,_ Dodgson thought. _Choke on your fucking peace._

"Everyone, get going. Now."

Tembo and Muldoon were the first to leave the cafeteria. Dodgson watched as Wu gestured for Harding to leave as he pointed at the double doors. They left shortly afterwards. Arnold and Lawala left together and headed for the control room. Baselton lingered around and pointed at Ellie who hadn't got up. Dodgson glared at her and went to the table she sat at.

"Is there a problem, Dr. Sattler?"

Without a word, Ellie pushed away from the table and left the cafeteria.

"Sonya? Be a dear and keep tabs on Dr. Sattler. She may try to escape your radar."

Sonya stood up and wrapped a rubber-band through her black hair. "With utmost pleasure, Dr. Dodgson." She kissed him briefly and then went to pursue Ellie.

Dodgson looked around the cafeteria and then took a step back, surprised.

"I'll be damned…I forgot to pair off the annoying mathematician and Sister Bear and Brother Bear with somebody…" He thought quickly and snapped his fingers. "Raúl, come here for a minute."

Keeping his eyes on Malcolm, Tim, and Lex, Dodgson waited for Lopez. In a flash, Malcolm stood up, and gestured for Tim and Lex to join him.

"Excuse me," Dodgson said. "Where the hell do you think you're going? Sit down; we're not finished with you."

"That's fine, because we're finished with _you_. I'll watch over them. Tim, Lex, come with me now," Malcolm said. They joined him and without looking back they left the cafeteria.

Dodgson watched flabbergasted. "How fucking dare he…you know what…I had a plan for them, but change of plans. Raúl, go follow them. I have a feeling I know where they're headed, but I want you to follow them anyway. Keep in touch with me through walkie-talkie and I'll direct you from there."

Lopez nodded. He took out the walkie-talkie that Muldoon had given him (or rather what he _forced_ Muldoon to lend him earlier) and then headed out. Dodgson looked around again. In the cafeteria only King, Baselton, and Gennaro remained. Perfect, just as he wanted it.

"Take a seat, gentlemen, we're going to have our first meeting in just a few moments. First, I want to get bottled water from the kitchen. How about the rest of you? Bottled water? Orange juice?"

They shook their heads.

"Fine then, suit yourselves. I'll be right back and then we'll get started."

**oOo**

"Dr. Malcolm?"

Malcolm didn't answer Tim. They were outside in the area between the visitor center and the staff lodge. It wasn't even seven-thirty in the morning and already Malcolm wanted the day to be over. Tim and Lex probably felt the same way even if they didn't voice it. Dodgson hadn't assigned anyone to watch them, so Malcolm took the initiative to escape from the cafeteria and find a hiding spot where they could remain safe and far away from the Biosyn staff.

No matter who they found from the InGen staff, a Biosyn team member was right there, hovering over them like a prison guard. Even if they found Arnold or Muldoon, both men were being guarded by Lawala and Tembo. Sonya was already enjoying her assignment to watch and follow Ellie's every step. Malcolm could tell by the way Sonya walked out that she planned on draining every drop from Ellie's emotional reserve. She aimed to make Ellie as miserable as possible and wouldn't stop until the job was done. Wu's actions in aiding Biosyn against the park staff enforced the painful reality that he had betrayed InGen. It was cruel irony that he was supervising Harding. In the past, Wu and Harding were close friends like Arnold and Muldoon. Now it was totally different. And what was Gennaro doing? He was helping them, even though he had the nerve to constantly slam Dennis Nedry as the only lying traitor.

Malcolm knew this would happen. Everything had quieted down since that night in the control room. Then out of nowhere, everything turned upside down, twisted and turned like a roller coaster at a theme park. Malcolm smirked, although he wasn't the least bit amused that his dire predictions had come true. He didn't hear Tim until the fourth time he asked his question.

"Dr. Malcolm? Where are we going?"

Malcolm pointed to the staff lodge, a grim expression on his face.

"We can't go there," Lex whispered. "He'll just follow us, like he's doing now."

Malcolm turned around and quickly walked faster. Then he made an abrupt turnaround.

"You can run, but you can't hide!" Lopez called after them.

"Why the hell did John put his science project on an island?" Malcolm fumed. "There's only so many places we can go."

"How about the emergency bunker?" Tim suggested.

Malcolm nodded. _That's a good plan—but which one?_ He asked Tim.

"We can go to the staff lodge or the visitor center."

Malcolm looked around. The staff lodge was only a hundred yards away. There had to be someplace else they could go. He thought about what Tim said: there was an emergency bunker in the basement of the visitor center. That would be perfect.

"C'mon let's head back to the visitor center. Tim, we'll go to the bunker down there. We'll be safe for a little while until we figure out what to do next."

Tim led the way back to the visitor center with Lex and Malcolm following close behind.

**oOo**

In the cafeteria, Gennaro listened as Dodgson explained the rationale behind his tactics.

"The InGen staff thinks strength in numbers is the way to go. Trust me, I've observed them closely and that's how they were able to band together to overpower Roland and Howard that night I left with the team to go to the mainland. What I'm doing now will benefit _both_ InGen and Biosyn." Dodgson drank some water from his bottle. "They need to work together. That's why they're completely split up and working with my team."

Gennaro watched him take another drink of water. King and Baselton sat on either side of Dodgson and he sat across from them.

Alone.

No one else from InGen was next to Gennaro. Even if someone was sitting beside him, whether it was Malcolm or Arnold, it wouldn't have made an ounce of difference. Dodgson viewed Gennaro as his ticket to acquiring InGen and the alarming power behind this fact was slowly dawning on Gennaro as time went on. He knew it from the beginning when Dodgson revealed his true identity to the staff. Muldoon knew he was working with Dodgson and confronted him about it the same night they went to the mainland. None of that mattered to Gennaro at the time. It was different now. He couldn't put his finger on it, but it had to do with what occurred less than an hour ago in the cafeteria. He sighed as he listened to Dodgson explain his reasons for splitting up the InGen staff.

Dodgson tried to pretty it up and make it sound like a workshop on getting along with your co-workers. Obviously, it was quite the opposite. It boiled down to the fact that Dodgson was punishing them for capturing and holding Tembo prisoner in the control room and for shooting King.

"They need to learn—if they haven't already—that they won't always work with whom they want to work with. There are many workers out there with different talents, abilities, and personalities. I'm surprised John didn't go over this with them or that they came into InGen thinking they could do whatever the hell they like. Now I see why Dennis flourished in his rebelliousness. What's worse is they're following his lead—all of them are: Robert Muldoon, Ray Arnold, and Gerry Harding. Henry Wu is a different story; I wouldn't lump him with the rest. He's intelligent, reserved, and dedicated. Hank was tired of his colleagues walking all over him, especially Robert Muldoon who did most of the stomping. People didn't take him seriously and now he's having the last laugh. I don't blame him, can you? But back to what I was saying before: those three, along with Dr. Sattler and Dr. Malcolm, and even those two brats have to learn how things will be run here when I take over. There will be no room for arguments. I'm all for compromising, but how can I compromise when they're plotting against me?"

Dodgson shook his head as though deeply saddened by the situation.

"It's a disgrace," Baselton added.

"Absolutely. Howard, what say you about this?"

"I agree, Lew. They need to be taught that they can't treat the Biosyn staff as if we're outsiders. We're guests on Isla Nublar and should be treated as such."

Dodgson nodded, pleased that Baselton and King demonstrated unwavering loyalty.

Gennaro thought it was mind-boggling stupidity, but bit his tongue.

"Exactly, Howard. You are dead-on in your assertion. Furthermore, you, George, and the other George, as well as Roland, Sonya, and Raúl, aren't even guests on this island. You six, along with Hank, represent the future of Jurassic Park. You _are_ the future as far as who will run the operations around here. You do realize that, don't you?"

King nodded and Gennaro thought he looked like a marionette whose head bobbed up and down when the puppeteer pulled the right strings. He was suddenly reminded of when Muldoon had called him a marionette and stated that Dodgson knew how to pull his strings. Baselton was quiet as this was his way of consenting. Gennaro sighed again.

"What's wrong?" Dodgson asked with syrup in his voice. "You seem flustered by everything. Are we going too fast?"

"No." Gennaro shook his head. "I need time to think things through."

"By all means, take all the time you need, Don." Dodgson gestured to himself, King, and Baselton. "We're not leaving here anytime soon." He flashed a charming smile and Baselton chuckled.

The double doors to the cafeteria opened and Lopez rushed in, interrupting their meeting.

"What's going on, Raúl? Just now we were discussing the park's future."

Lopez stopped to catch his breath. His face was red as if he had jogged through the entire park. "They're down in the emergency bunker now, refusing to come out."

Dodgson's lips curled into a malicious grin. "You mean Dr. Malcolm, Lex, and Tim?"

Lopez nodded. "They were going to the staff lodge; then they turned around and came back here."

"They're in the bunker beneath the visitor center? Or wherever the hell it is?"

"Yep, and I told them to get the hell out. Dr. Malcolm said they weren't leaving."

Dodgson bolted from his seat. "I'll tell you what—" He stopped mid-sentence and fished in his pocket for a set of keys. "Hank made me a copy of every key we need to get through certain doors. Most of them take security passes, but anyway…take them for now." He shoved them into Lopez's hands. "You stay right there and don't let them leave that damn room. If they want to stay there, then let them. But they're not going _anywhere_. They can stay locked in that bunker and starve for all I care. That's three InGen assholes that I don't have to worry about and three less mouths to feed. Works for me."

Baselton and King paid close attention to Dodgson and Gennaro found himself agitated. He wanted to leave the cafeteria as soon as possible and would probably do so when Lopez went back to the emergency bunker.

"What about the rest of the staff?" Lopez asked. "What if they find out they're locked in there? They might go on strike."

"Fuck 'em," Dodgson said, casually. "We'll keep them locked up in there even while the rest of the staff goes in and out the visitor center. They won't have time to worry about where those three disappeared too=. They'll be too exhausted to question where they went. No one will miss them, least of all me."

"Good. So just lock 'em in? No food or water?"

"Whatever they have down there is what they have. I'm not going out of my way to give them a loaf of bread or bottled water. As I said in my meeting today, if you work against me, then you bury yourself alive. Go back to the bunker and—"

"Take care of business?" Lopez finished for him.

"Correct."

Gennaro noticed the delight flash across Lopez's face. He was overly eager to carry out Dodgson's plans: he was the ideal Biosyn employee. Lopez never questioned, always made Dodgson's wish his command, and went to infinity to please his master.

Lopez was halfway out the cafeteria when Dodgson called out to him.

"Don't worry; I'll have George B. switch over with you. We'll work out something out where you two work twelve hour shifts, or even better, go there once an hour to check on what they're doing, make sure they're not trying to escape."

Lopez rushed out of the cafeteria and Dodgson took another sip of water and threw the bottle in a nearby basket. It missed and landed on the floor.

"Howard, pick that up and toss it out."

Gennaro watched as King got up, snatched the bottle, and threw it out. _Like a robot,_ he thought. Then he came back to the table.

"Now, where were we? We covered how to maintain complete control of the InGen staff to keep them from acting out again…" Dodgson ticked off the points on his fingers and then clapped his hands together as his idea flashed in front of him. "I know what I want to discuss with you, Don. The park's opening date."

Gennaro nodded. He hoped he appeared excited so that Dodgson wouldn't question him or sense his doubt.

"George, why don't you go in a little while and check on everyone? You can go after this meeting."

"Will do."

Dodgson smiled, pleased. "We've discussed this briefly, Don." He passed the folder to King. "Take notes for this meeting, Howard, so we can review them later." King took out a blank sheet of paper and a pen and waited to transcribe the meeting. "Recall if you will, Don, I told you I would get Jurassic Park's gates opened to the world under a year's time."

"I remember that."

"Do you still want to go through with this proposal?" Dodgson carefully removed his shades and placed them on the table.

Gennaro stared at the shades and then met Dodgson's iron gray eyes. "I do…absolutely."

"Why the hesitation?"

An impatient note had slithered its way into Dodgson's voice like a snake sneaking through grass not wanting to be detected by a mongoose. Gennaro heard it and treaded carefully when he spoke next.

"There's no hesitation, as I said before I need time to think things through."

It was several minutes before Dodgson spoke again. Gennaro didn't know how to interpret Dodgson's silence.

"What's there to think through? Do you want Jurassic Park open or not?"

"I want it open."

"What's the problem?"

Gennaro bristled as though needles had pricked his spinal cord. He had heard Dodgson speak those very words to Wu that night in the jail when he was doubtful about participating in Nedry's beat-down. Dodgson had the same edge in his voice then as he did now.

"There is no problem. What do you propose?"

"I propose that we invite the CEO of Biosyn, Jeff Rossiter, for a weekend inspection. It would be similar to the one you, Dr. Grant, Dr. Sattler, and Dr. Malcolm were invited to back when Hammond had to prove that Jurassic Park was safe and secure."

"Tim and Lex were also there," Gennaro pointed out. He didn't know why he mentioned them now when the entire time he couldn't care less about them.

"Yeah, they were there too. Who cares? I'm not talking about the boss's grandkids, but about the consultants that gave him the stamp of approval."

"You want to do the same thing, only with higher-ups from Biosyn."

"Exactly. If they approve of the park—which I'm confident they will—then we can open the park and rake in the money. Afterwards, my team will maintain the park, while the InGen staff get their papers and find work elsewhere." Dodgson thought for a moment. "And maybe we'll throw some hush money at them so they won't blab to the authorities, not that anyone will listen to what they say. InGen's name and reputation has been permanently tainted thanks to Dennis."

_He makes it sound so simple,_ Gennaro thought. All at once, it hit him how Dodgson was both charming and intimidating. There was something very wrong in all this, he knew. Just like a week ago when Dodgson had mentioned they can open the park under Biosyn's name, Gennaro questioned it, but pressed forward anyway. Dodgson read his mind.

"Don't think that InGen won't receive credit, because they will, Don. I'll make certain they do. Again, we're collaborating together to make Hammond's dream come true. Isn't that what we all want? Isn't that what _he_ would've wanted?"

"Yes." _No!_ Gennaro took a deep breath. He almost shouted out "No!" and had to swallow the word like a cardboard flavored pill. "I think this is a great plan, Lew, and I'd like to discuss it with you in detail…but right now, I really need to—"

"Take a walk to clear your head and think things through?" Dodgson asked, slipping on his shades.

"Yeah, I just need some time to collect my thoughts."

Dodgson nodded and stood up. He opened the cafeteria's doors wide open and gestured for Gennaro to leave. "Whenever you're ready to discuss this further, we'll be waiting right here. Take all the time you need. Right now, Howard and I are going to begin planning for that weekend inspection. Nothing's set in stone and we'll update you on our progress by the end of today. How does that sound?"

_Too good to be true,_ Gennaro thought. Instead, he said, "Sounds perfect, I'll see you then." He left the cafeteria and didn't look back, even when he heard Baselton follow behind him.

**oOo**

"We're not leaving."

Malcolm glanced over his shoulder. Lex and Tim were huddled together, trying to stay warm in the emergency bunker. Someone from the outside must have turned the temperature down because it was never this cold. Lex sat on the floor, hugging her knees. Tim stood pressed against the wall next to her. Malcolm turned back to see Lopez on the outside of the bunker. Lopez held up a key as if it were a treasured artifact he found buried amongst dinosaur bones in the badlands of Montana.

"We're not leaving," Malcolm repeated. His voice wavered slightly. "What time is it, Lex?"

"Eight thirty-five."

Malcolm swallowed nervously. He didn't know how long they would be in there for, but they eventually had to leave. He left the window when he saw Lopez move away from it. For now, they could stay here. Tim and Lex could take turns sleeping on the bed. There was also enough food to last a week so they should be alright. Still, Malcolm didn't like the idea of being cooped in the bunker for God knows how long. It wasn't good for any of them. They were cut off from the rest of the InGen staff.

Heavy footsteps sounded from outside. There were two ways to leave the emergency bunker. One led outside and was adjacent to Hammond's bungalow. The other was connected to the visitor center since the bunker was located beneath the building. So far Malcolm had locked the door that connected to the visitor center. He doubted the Biosyn team knew about that entrance. That left the outside leading to Hammond's bungalow. Malcolm sighed in relief and then his eyes widened when he heard a distinct mechanical noise echo in the bunker. He saw the same fear splash across Tim's and Lex's face. They had heard it too.

It was the sound of a key turning as it clicked the lock into place.

**oOo**

Gennaro passed by the emergency bunker just as Lopez pulled the key out the door.

"They're in there?" Gennaro asked.

Even as he asked the question, he peered through the window and saw them swarming in the bunker like bees trapped in a glass case. Brutal pounding sounded from the other side of the door—it was Malcolm knocking on the door, demanding to be let out.

Lopez grinned. "Yep, and they're staying in there for as long as Dodgson deems it necessary."

"Won't they try to come out?"

"If they do, I'll shoot 'em." Lopez went to the window. He knocked on it and then pointed his gun so that Malcolm, Tim, and Lex could see the barrel pointing at them.

Gennaro watched, disgusted. He didn't tell Lopez that the glass was thick and bulletproof or that there was a second entrance where Malcolm and the kids would be able to exit. He had a feeling someone would alert Dodgson about it—Wu or Baselton—because he certainly wouldn't do it. He had done enough and that's why he needed to be alone so he could think.

"They're freezing in there and they're locked in from the other side. They probably don't even know it."

Gennaro blinked. He remembered Baselton following him outside the cafeteria and how he went downstairs in the visitor center…

"I'll talk with you later, Mr. Gennaro. Right now, I have to keep an eye on the prisoners." Lopez laughed.

Gennaro nodded and went to the space between the raptor pen and Hammond's bungalow, a relatively small grassy area, but quiet and perfect for what he wanted to do. He wanted to reflect. He did it many times before Dodgson had arrived on the island disguised as Cameron Thorne. Now he really needed to think things over.

For the first time, Gennaro found everything to be wrong. The way Dodgson handled things was not right. That was an understatement he knew. Dodgson was controlling the InGen staff's every movement. He aimed to micromanage, manipulate, and tear the staff apart. Everyone would be stressed out by the end of the day to the point where they couldn't even deal with each other. Tempers would flare up and angry words would blow up into arguments. Everyone's patience would be worn down so much that the slightest thing would make them snap.

"It's messed up" he said aloud. Even now as he thought about what he just said, Gennaro knew he wasn't painting the situation accurately. _Messed up_ sounded soft, wishy-washy.

Gennaro still wanted the park open, but was it really worth putting the InGen staff through hell? Just so visitors from all over the globe could swarm in and out of Jurassic Park? He decided it wasn't worth it. No amount of money was worth killing off the souls of men and women who had worked year in and year out, day in and day out, to make Hammond's ultimate dream a concrete reality. And now that once nearly impossible dream was on the verge of becoming a real and hideous nightmare. To think, that Jurassic Park had once been a beautiful vision now distorted by a driven man who ate his competition whole and spat out their bones.

He thought about Nedry and felt he got what he deserved. Dodgson had the Biosyn team put him in his place. The frightening reality was that there was no place for anyone on Dodgson's staff who thought differently from him. Gennaro didn't regret what happened at the jail, but now the same thing was happening to the InGen staff. Dodgson wasn't beating them down physically, but emotionally and mentally. He was going too far in the way he controlled Hammond's staff down to what they did every hour. And Gennaro allowed it to happen; he gave his consent by remaining silent.

Gennaro didn't even like Dodgson's staff. Lopez was passionate, but he kept focusing on Nedry as if he were more important than the park. Tembo's arrogance emitted from him like cheap cologne, it was overpowering and nauseating. Lawala never seemed interested in anything Dodgson proposed and Sonya wanted everyone to watch what _she _was doing, forgetting that they were a team. King was too soft and Baselton acted like he was too good for you to speak with him, although he started with InGen first. Now Gennaro wondered if Baselton had started working for Dodgson first and _then _pretended to work for Hammond. He didn't want to waste time figuring it out.

Gennaro preferred the people that Hammond had hired, although he knew from the way he trashed them, it appeared he thought very little of them. Arnold's loyalty and work ethic was rare to come by. Muldoon was tough and held himself to high moral standards. Harding was conscientious and hard-working. Malcolm was pessimistic, but he was honest. Grant enjoyed lending his expertise and was passionate about his fieldwork. Ellie was intelligent and full of creative ideas. They stayed on the island to help Hammond achieve his dreams. He would've included Wu and Nedry in the group, but those were the last two he wanted to think about. _I want the park open, but I don't want the entire staff destroyed. It should be InGen staff running this island, not Biosyn. How can they run the park if they're shattered? _

Gennaro wandered towards the raptor pen and walked onto the platform. He peered inside the enclosure although he knew all the raptors were gone. Eventually, the staff would bulldoze the raptor pen and put something new in place. That probably wouldn't happen for a long time. The state of things on Isla Nublar kept growing worse and today the final thread snapped.

He wished he could rally the InGen staff together, but he was the last person they would listen to. Everyone hated him and with good reason. Harding couldn't stand listening to him, Malcolm didn't even try to speak with him, and Ellie was indifferent to him. Muldoon didn't make it a secret that he hated Gennaro's guts. Arnold ignored him which was nice, considering he could get loud if he wanted to. The kids…he messed up where it concerned Hammond's grandchildren. It was true that Gennaro wasn't fond of kids, but he knew he was wrong for how he treated them.

There had to be a way to set things right and he hoped it wasn't too late. He could try to make amends, but who would he go to first? Gennaro thought about it as he left the raptor pen and headed towards the park.

The first person flashed in his mind: Arnold.

**oOo**

Lex and Tim took turns sleeping on the bed in the bunker, while Malcolm sat alone in the corner, thinking about what they should do. They didn't know how many days and nights had passed, but they figured the week was halfway through. Lex sat up on the bed and then edged off as Tim lay down ready to sleep. Sleeping passed the time.

Lex got up and went to Malcolm. He sat with his arms folded across his chest in deep thought. Malcolm had spent the last three (or was it four?) days pounding on the door, grabbing at the knob, demanding to be let out. He stopped when Lex urged him to not do it anymore. He strained and twisted himself trying to get the door open. Whoever was on the other side—either Lopez or Baselton—thought it was funny and she heard them laughing. Finally, Malcolm gave up and sat staring into space.

"I miss Dr. Grant," Lex mumbled.

Malcolm looked in her direction and he rubbed his hands over his face. She saw a mournful glint in his eyes as if he regretted something that only he knew about.

"Maybe that's the answer," Malcolm said quietly. "We have to get Dr. Grant back here."

"Can you get him to come back?"

The earnest note in Lex's voice was painful to hear, but he forced himself to listen to her.

"What if he came back, Dr. Malcolm? Things would be better again, right?"

"I don't want to give you false hope, Lex—"

"El would be happy again…_everyone_ would be happy."

"It doesn't mean Dodgson and his staff will leave."

"He can help us make them leave."

Malcolm nodded. He had thought of this himself, although he had yet to voice it aloud to anyone including Ellie. "He could, yes…one more person on our side would make things even."

"So do you think you can get him to come back?" Lex chewed her bottom lip, hoping to get an optimistic response out of Malcolm.

"I can try…I want to…it would be a good thing I'm sure."

Why did he sound so unsure of himself? After all this time, did he still fear the worst about what Grant thought of him and Ellie? Or was it a strong feeling of doubt that no matter who came to the island, nothing would change? Malcolm didn't know what it was, but he knew one thing was for certain: he would get Grant to come back to Isla Nublar, and he and Lex would make it happen. It was just a matter of planning everything out, down to the last detail, and going on the blind hope that Grant would return to help InGen.

"Give me some time, Lex; I'll see what I can come up with."

Lex nodded, and for the first time in months, Malcolm saw a smile light up her face.

"Thanks, Dr. Malcolm."

"Anytime…at times like this, I wish I was a_ magician_ and not a mathematician." He chuckled and then abruptly changed the subject. "Are you hungry?"

She shook her head. She was _very _hungry, but she didn't want to eat. There was no telling how long they would be locked in the bunker.

"Lex, eat something okay? Please."

Lex went to the food pantry and searched for something to eat. She made sure to get something for Malcolm and for Tim when he woke up.

**oOo**

The explosive pounding on the outside roused Muldoon from his sleep.

He had finally fell sleep after midnight and now he was wide awake. Whoever knocked on his door used the same urgency used by police when they showed up at someone's house with an arrest warrant. They wouldn't leave until they had the wanted person in their custody. In the same manner, the banging sounded again. Dressed in his pajamas, Muldoon threw his legs over the bed and rubbed his eyes. Right now, he could use a shot of rum, but he wasn't in the mood to go searching for it. Grumbling under his breath, Muldoon forced himself to get up and see who it was. Halfway between sleep and wake, he threw the door open. When he saw who it was, he was more than tempted to slam the door with the intention of busting his guest's nose.

Tembo didn't give him a chance to act out his idea as he forced himself into the bedroom. Muldoon plopped down on his bed. He didn't plan on going out in the park at—he glanced quickly at the clock on his bureau—one o'clock in the morning. Tembo had been waking him up at all hours of the night for the past two weeks ever since Dodgson had paired them off. He was sick of it, and by now he was too exhausted to go anywhere. Muldoon barely got three hours of sleep each night since Tembo insisted on studying each and every dinosaur in the park and at all hours. Sleep deprivation headaches were turning into migraines for Muldoon, who wondered if it was possible to experience the incredible pain permanently. He hoped not.

Lately, Tembo had been obsessing about the tyrannosaurs. Eight hours of straight daytime observance of tyrannosaurs wasn't enough for him. They had done that earlier and now here he was again, wanting to watch who knows what animal.

"We're going out to the tyrannosaur paddock to observe their nocturnal habits. Lopez will meet us there."

Muldoon stared at him, a mixture of exhaustion and anger written on his face. _The bloody tyrannosaurs again. _Of course. Tembo was infatuated with the damn animal. Muldoon would've shouted for Tembo to get the hell out, but his energy was spent. He yawned as Tembo yanked open his closet and threw his clothes onto the floor in a heap.

"Put those on, they'll do," Tembo ordered.

Muldoon's eyes fell to the wrinkled khakis. _Let them stay there._ "No," he said, and turned over, ready to go back to sleep.

"You're not getting a good night's rest until you take me to that paddock."

"Go by yourself, I'm tired."

"If you don't, Dodgson will hear about this."

Muldoon shrugged. Tembo's tattling was the last thing that could hurt him. "Tell him I couldn't care less. Get out of my room."

"You're coming."

"Bloody hell I am."

"You. Are."

Muldoon stared at Tembo.

Tembo stared at Muldoon.

"If you don't, I'll wake up everyone on this floor and then you can explain to them why they were forced to get up in the early morning hours. You don't want that, Robert Muldoon. No one would want to hear your explanation. No one has the patience anymore."

Muldoon said nothing. He knew Tembo was right. As furious as he was for being awakened in the middle of the night, he didn't dare risk making everyone else lose their sleep, since that was the only time the InGen staff had for themselves. He had no choice. Muldoon yanked his khakis from the floor and his boots next to his bed and went into the adjoining bathroom, slamming the door behind him. He couldn't believe this was happening on Isla Nublar. Everyone was split up; he hadn't seen Malcolm, Lex, and Tim in almost a week. He never saw Arnold anymore. Once, he ran into Harding and Wu when they were on their way into the park, and Ellie was cooped up in her greenhouse. Was there someone he was forgetting? _Gennaro doesn't count,_ he thought as he laced up his boots. _Anyone else?_

Banging sounded from the other side of the door.

"Hurry up, Muldoon! I don't have all night to wait on your primadonna aspirations."

Muldoon clenched his teeth and shouted back. "Bloody wait!"

Tembo punched the door on the other side. Muldoon did the same and finished tying his boots. He opened the door and walked past Tembo who stared at him with intense hatred.

"Let's go."

"One damn minute." Muldoon opened his closet and searched for what he was looking for. His fedora and trusty rifle lay on the floor and he snatched them. He placed the rifle at his feet while he fixed his fedora on his head.

"Who are you trying to impress, Muldoon?"

"Certainly not you."

Muldoon adjusted the fedora again. He was taking his time on purpose just to infuriate Tembo. It was working because Tembo flung his bedroom door open, making it knock against the wall.

"Get out. Now."

Muldoon grabbed his rifle and the keys to his room. As he walked down the hallway with Tembo at his heels, he saw a door on the other side close softly. He knew whose room it was. Harding's. He hadn't been able to speak with Harding either. That would have to wait for later. They left the staff lodge and got in the gas-powered jeep parked in the front. Tembo got in on the passenger's side and stared ahead as Muldoon got in on the passenger's side.

"What's this about?" Muldoon finally asked.

"I already told you, but I suppose you were pretending to be deaf. I need your assistance in observing the tyrannosaurs at night. Dr. Dodgson wants a written report about the subject."

Muldoon stared at him dumbly. "You're joking."

"Do I look like I am?"

"If you were, then I couldn't tell."

Tembo shook his head and muttered under his breath. He put the jeep in drive and they headed towards the tyrannosaur paddock.

**oOo**

They arrived at one-thirty in the morning in front of the tyrannosaur paddock. As Tembo promised, Lopez was waiting for them.

"I see you brought everyone's favorite bleeding heart," Lopez taunted.

Tembo pointed at Muldoon, who sat poker straight in the passenger seat. He hadn't left the jeep, and from the looks of it, he planned on staying there to spite Tembo. "He's not pleased to be out here, but whatever. He's not his own man anymore and hasn't been since that night we snatched his keys and gained access to his weapons."

"He hasn't been his own man ever since Dennis owned him."

Lopez and Tembo broke out in harsh laughter. Muldoon closed his eyes and tuned them out. He was confident in who he was so their comments came off as stupid and immature to him. He let it bounce off him. Right now all he wanted to do was sleep. Muldoon briefly wondered how Tembo functioned when he barely slept, and figured that being a poacher made him immune.

Tembo went over to the passenger side and threw open the car door. "Get out of there. You're helping whether you like it or not."

"I'm not in the mood to."

"I'm not in the mood to deal with your nonsense."

"Then you should've come alone."

Tembo grabbed Muldoon's collar and yanked him forward. Immediately angered by the intrusion, Muldoon's eyes flew open and he slammed Tembo's face with the speed of lightning. Tembo fell backwards against the car door as Muldoon stepped out of the jeep.

"Don't _ever_ put your bloody hands on me again! That's an order. Do we understand each other?" Muldoon grabbed his collar and shoved him against the jeep.

Tembo steadied himself. "Don't get ahead of yourself, Robert Muldoon. I'm still waiting on that threat of you putting me in the hospital."

Muldoon's voice floated back to him as he approached the paddock. "It'll happen sooner than you know. I know you're anticipating it."

Tembo snatched Muldoon's gun from the jeep. "You won't need that. I'll be damned if you're going to knock me out again with a gun, much less my own."

"That's why I'm here, Roland." Lopez said. "As reinforcement."

Muldoon swayed in front of the steel fence. He felt as if he'd fall over and sleep on the path in front of the tyrannosaur paddock. Not even the tyrant lizard's bellowing would be loud enough to wake him up. He heard Lopez and Tembo talking about tyrannosaurs and their nocturnal habits. Did they hunt at night and sleep during day? _Who gives a damn?_ Muldoon wanted to say. He closed his eyes as he listened to Tembo declare for the umpteenth time that his only goal was to hunt the tyrannosaur in her paddock, and that she'd be worth conquering and placing in his trophy room back home in Mombassa.

**oOo**

It was six forty-five in the morning when Lopez and Tembo dumped Muldoon in front of the staff lodge minus his rifle. They hadn't asked him anything the entire five hours he was out there. He knew it was Tembo's way of running him into the ground. _It's bloody working,_ Muldoon thought as he fumbled with his keys to get into the staff lodge. Staggering, he reached his door and opened it. He shut the door and looked around the room. The bed had never been so inviting; it was the best and only place he wanted to be now. Muldoon collapsed on the bed face-first and immediately fell into a heavy sleep. He only had three hours of sleep before Tembo showed up again at his door, demanding to see the triceratops.

**oOo**

Harding wiped away the sweat streaming down his face. It was extremely humid outside in the park and he felt as though he were trapped in a sauna. He had been in the maiasaur paddock for the past six hours working on the same animal. Something was going on with the maiasaur population. Instead of herding together, they were dispersing themselves. Some were not eating regularly anymore, and there was one in particular that continued to isolate herself from the group. This maiasaur was the one Harding worked diligently with to figure out what was wrong. Harding wasn't sure what was going on, but he had a feeling their changing behavior had to do with Lopez. Ever since the Biosyn staff had taken over, Lopez had radically changed the dinosaurs' diets beyond recognition. He claimed it had to do with studies he had done previously, but Harding thought he was full of it.

What made matters worse was that Wu agreed with Lopez's changes. Anything Harding said in protest was ignored by Wu and Lopez. Wu was assigned to watch him and he made it no secret that he was there to nitpick everything Harding did.

"You're not doing enough for her," Wu snapped. "Look at her, she's dying and you're just tapping her head as if that's supposed to work a miracle!"

Harding clenched his teeth, making a strong effort to ignore Wu. During times like this, he wished they had listened to Nedry that night in Hammond's bungalow. Nedry had tried to warn them, but they weren't hearing it—especially not Arnold and Muldoon. Now they had to deal with the consequences, and sometimes for Harding, those "consequences" were too much to handle. The entire staff was split apart since that morning in the cafeteria. If Dodgson had aimed to divide and conquer, then he had succeeded the first day he arrived. The division among the park staff had occurred even before then, and had worsened with Dodgson's presence.

Wu started up again and Harding made an extra effort to ignore him. The maiasaur wasn't dying, she was very sick. Her leathery skin had lost its pebbly texture, which was abnormal. If he could find out what was making her sick, then half his job would be done. Although he already knew part of the problem had its roots with the changing diets, he'd have to find another explanation to silence Wu and Lopez—and Dodgson. _They're messing everything up, _Harding thought, _and it's not like they're going to be honest and accept responsibility for what they've done. _He'd have to work on finding a cure for her or give the animal some medicine. Aside from the changes in their diet, he didn't have the faintest idea of what else was wrong. Harding looked up from what he was doing when he heard someone approach them in the paddock.

"Don't stop what you're doing. It's not time to go in yet," Wu said. "That won't be for another three hours."

_Henry has no problem staying out from dawn to dusk with no lunch break in between. Of course he doesn't, _Harding thought. He sighed in annoyance. Wu brought a sandwich and bottled water from the cafeteria with him. He didn't allow Harding to stop what he was doing, not even for a five minute break. Harding was surprised he hadn't collapsed from exhaustion and he prided himself on his endurance. After the first day out in the park when Dodgson had assigned Wu to guard him, Harding _always _made sure to eat a hefty breakfast that would energize him for the day. Most of that energy was spent on growing angrier at Wu, rather than concentrating on the dinosaur, his patient. _John never saw this side of Henry,_ Harding realized. _If John had, he would've fired him immediately._ He heard voices above him.

"Just making my rounds, Henry. How's it going?"

Harding closed his eyes and fumed silently. If there was another person he hated more than Wu, it was Baselton. He had never liked him, not since the first time he came to the island to tell them about the park's early closure. Harding had sensed he was two-faced and he wasn't surprised that he was right on the mark. Instead, he was saddened. Every time he looked up another InGen employee was backstabbing Hammond. First Dennis Nedry, then Henry Wu, Donald Gennaro was tied with him, and now George Baselton. It was a blessing that Hammond remained at the CIMA hospital in San José and not here to witness his company being torn asunder by those who worked for him.

"George, would you mind taking my spot for an hour? I promised Sonya I'd meet her at the greenhouse today."

Harding looked up and saw Sonya standing several feet away. She waved at Wu.

"Sure thing, do what you gotta do."

Wu nodded. "Thanks." He sneered at Harding. "Keep working. Just because I'm not here doesn't mean you're off the hook. Make sure you keep tight reins on him, George."

"Will do," Baselton said.

Harding heard Wu's footsteps grow softer as he left the paddock. He heard someone cough above him. When Baselton spoke, Harding could hear the gleeful note in his voice.

"Finish what you started, _Dr._ Harding."

**oOo**

During the past week, Ellie had gone to her greenhouse without meeting Sonya first in the cafeteria. She despised Sonya, and it was obvious Sonya felt the same way towards her. That probably explained why Dodgson assigned them together. Sonya would strike up conversation with her in the greenhouse while she worked and Ellie responded with one word answers. Sonya didn't like that, but Ellie knew she could do worse and totally shut her out. She didn't go that far, but everyday since that first morning in the cafeteria, the tension between both women had grown exponentially.

The first week she had met in the cafeteria as everyone else had, but now she was tired of it. She was tired of everything that took place on the island and how no one was able to meet with each other to discuss a plan of action. At this point, even if anyone had a plan to thwart Dodgson, Ellie had a feeling she wouldn't listen. She hadn't seen Malcolm or Tim and Lex for days, Muldoon was never around, and Harding and Arnold were kept under constant watch. She knew it wasn't their fault, but she felt frustrated all the same.

When she woke up this morning, she resolved to drive early to her greenhouse and get there before Sonya did. She wondered if it was better that Sonya was assigned to stay with her in the greenhouse and not Dodgson putting himself there. Ellie had seen the way Dodgson stared at her and she hated being around him. There was no telling what he'd do if he ever got alone with her inside the greenhouse. Ellie took a deep breath and parked the gas-powered jeep nearby. She headed towards the greenhouse and abruptly stopped. What she saw caused her heart to pound like thunder.

Sonya was waiting outside the greenhouse, blocking her path. She held up a shotgun and grinned, thrilled that Ellie had arrived.

"You know what I've observed, Dr. Sattler?" Sonya asked, stepping towards Ellie. "That you run to your little greenhouse whenever things get too hot in the park for you. You go to your little glasshouse and you know what they said about the glasshouse?"

Ellie shook her head, not in response to Sonya's question, but in disbelief.

"You wanna play mute, bitch? 'Cause I'll make you spit out words!"

In a swift motion, Sonya shot a dart in Ellie's right thigh. Ellie cried out and grabbed her thigh. The dart's serum traveled the length of her entire leg; it felt like Sonya had smashed her kneecap with a hammer. Furious, Ellie rushed at her, her fist clenched and ready to punch Sonya in the face when she was shot again, this time in her left arm above her elbow. Ellie collapsed on her back and stared up at the blue sky. Overhead, the trees' leaves blew softly in the wind, waving to her. Her back was pressed against the ground and her chest heaved. Sonya circled her like a poacher, who had triumphantly captured her prey. Ellie turned on her side and found it hard to move her arms; they felt cemented together. Her lungs burned with every breath she took and she couldn't feel her right leg.

"That calmed you down and good thing too! You thought I was gonna stand here and let you smack me around? Think again, Blondie."

Unable to fight against the mind-blowing pain or respond to Sonya, Ellie closed her eyes and unconsciousness swept over her like a tidal wave. Her timing couldn't have been more perfect as Sonya grabbed her ankles and dragged her into the greenhouse.

**oOo**

Ellie woke up and lifted her head. She felt like she had been sleeping under a blanket of mud. She blinked and her greenhouse came into focus. All her plants, her materials, and the tables sharpened as she squinted and came to. Ellie tried to move—and couldn't. Ropes pinched her skin. Her arms were twisted behind her and bound tightly at the wrists. She tried moving her legs. Her thighs wouldn't budge, they were lashed down with cords and her ankles were pulled close together and tied with more rope. Ellie took slow deep breaths, trying not to panic. The last thing she remembered was arriving at her greenhouse and confronting Sonya. Sonya had shot her twice and she blacked out before the intense pain of the darts overwhelmed her.

Sonya Durant.

The name flashed in Ellie's mind like bright lights on a billboard and she knew who did this to her.

Fingers ran through her hair, playing with the strands, teasing her. She shook her head, trying to shake off whoever it was. Suddenly her hair was ruthlessly yanked and if the person tugged any harder, they would rip out her hair from the scalp.

"Stop fidgeting or the next time Dr. Malcolm sees you, he'll drop dead in surprise at seeing you bald."

Ellie's blood froze in her veins when she heard Sonya's voice. She sounded like an angry lioness, snarling and jealous.

"This is sweet payback for what you did to my Roland the night we left the island to take care of Dennis. You and your pals thought it was cute to hunt him down and play interrogation. The joke's on you."

Sonya twisted Ellie's hair and pulled it back fast, exposing her neck. Ellie winced at having her neck stretched and hair yanked backwards. Sonya's faced loomed above her and to Ellie she appeared upside down, her black hair spilling downward.

"Let's see how far I can pull back your delicate little neck before I snap it!"

At the same moment, she heard someone walk into the greenhouse. The door closed with a loud bang. Ellie's heart pounded against her ribs. Her hammering fear wouldn't allow her mind to question who had entered.

"What have we got here? John's favorite paleobotanist."

Ellie squirmed in her chair trying to see who it was, and then she recognized the voice.

She didn't know if she should be relieved or afraid. _Henry Wu,_ she thought. How could he take part in this? She watched him; her eyes wide like two blue rings. Wu came over to her and Sonya. Sonya resumed playing with Ellie's hair, tousling it around, mocking the way Malcolm touched it. She yanked and pulled at it, rubbed strands between her fingers, taunting Ellie.

"Pretty little hair for a pretty little lady who loves to hide in her pretty little greenhouse," Sonya purred. She smacked Ellie on the back of her neck causing her to gasp and catch her breath. "We're ready to begin, Hank. Watch Barbie for me."

Wu stood behind Ellie's chair and massaged her shoulders to calm her down in preparation for what was about to happen.

"What the hell!" Ellie yelled, choking on her fury. "How could you follow what she's doing?"

"Ssshh." Wu held a finger to his lips. "You'll understand soon enough."

Ellie strained against the ropes and her wrists and ankles burned as her binds tightened and cut into her skin. "There is nothing to understand! What the hell's wrong with you?"

Wu grabbed Ellie's head and forced her to watch Sonya. Sonya was now walking around the greenhouse, taking a personal tour. She poked around and touched things. At times, Sonya would pick objects up, examine them, and then set them down again. Then she sighed sadly.

"So much to destroy in so little time."

"Take your time, Sonya," Wu said calmly, while forcing Ellie to keep still.

Ellie fidgeted and twisted in the chair, trying to break free of the ropes. She stopped when she saw Sonya walk towards the back of the greenhouse. In the back was a table where she and Lex had planted new African violets the same night Sonya had went with Dodgson to the mainland. Some flowers had begun to sprout and emerge from the soil.

"Let's start here, shall we?" Sonya whirled around, a wide grin plastered across her face.

Without hesitation, she picked up a pot and hurled it across the room. It slammed into the wall behind Ellie and Wu. The cracking noise of the pot breaking into pieces on the floor echoed in Ellie's ears. Another noise immediately followed; this one more hideous than the last. It was the sound of Sonya's raucous laughter.

**oOo**

Sonya knew from the moment she woke up today that she was going to have fun. She had wanted to destroy Ellie's greenhouse for months now and finally she had her chance. She hated Ellie Sattler with a passion. She couldn't explain why she did. She just did. Simple as that. Lopez and Tembo used to joke with her that she was jealous of Ellie and maybe there was a tiny bit of truth to that accusation. Sonya had seen the way Dodgson watched Ellie. He always stared at her with an uncanny combination of lust and greed that Sonya couldn't fathom. It was clear that he was waiting for the moment when they were alone to take her from Malcolm. And it wasn't a secret that Dodgson lusted after any woman that crossed his path. She had once entertained having a fling with Dodgson, but extinguished that fantasy once she observed how he acted and spoke about Ellie. Crude and crass.

Sonya was tired of it, but that wasn't the main reason she was destroying the greenhouse. She wanted to have fun at someone's expense. She hated seeing Tembo that night in the control room, completely helpless while Ellie and the rest of InGen laughed at him. Tembo hated it too, she could tell by the fire in his eyes that he was furious. He hadn't done anything to retaliate against them except boss Muldoon around. That was enough for Tembo, but it wasn't enough for Sonya. _That pretty bitch has to pay for what she did to Roland and for taking Lew's attention away from me. _It was petty—and it was Sonya's mindset. Everyone on the Biosyn team knew that once Sonya thought something, she acted quickly.

Sonya upturned three tables and watched with childish glee as everything spilled onto the floor: gardening gloves, ceramic pots crashed into tiny pieces, and flowers were trampled on and half buried in soil. There were four shelves that held a variety of gardening supplies. Sonya skipped over to one and pushed as hard as she could. The shelf budged and she applied more force. The shelf toppled to the ground. Everything that had been sitting on it was now broken or missing in a heap of soil and broken wood. Sonya snatched up a coiled hose lying on the floor and swung it around. The hose knocked over empty flower pots and packets of seeds off the three remaining shelves. Sonya threw it towards the window and glass tinkered as it broke and sprayed across the floor.

"How do ya like that? You gonna go Super Environmentalist on me, free yourself, and save the trees?"

Sonya bust out laughing when she saw tears slide down Ellie's cheeks. Then she scowled: Ellie was glaring at her with utmost hatred and if she could rip off the ropes, she'd beat the daylights out of Sonya. _Not if I don't take care of you first, Dr. Sattler. _Sonya swung her clenched fist, connecting it with Ellie's face. Ellie gasped in pain and an ugly black and blue bruise formed under her right eye. Sonya grabbed Ellie's chin and leaned in her face so that they were eye level.

"Dr. Dodgson won't find you pretty when he sees you now. You better stop stabbing me with your eyes or you won't open them for a week. Count on it, girlie."

Sonya went back to what she started. There were a dozen potted plants with bright flowers in bloom. She picked one up and started plucking off the petals.

"Lew loves me, Lew loves me not." Two purple petals fluttered to the ground. She came over to Ellie, stepping joyfully over the fallen debris. "Lew wants me, Lew wants _you_. Raúl likes me, Roland lusts for me, Dennis adores me, and Robert hates me." At every instance, Sonya tore off more petals and tossed them on Ellie's lap. There were only two petals left. "Look Dr. Sattler: Lew loves me and Lew loves you too!"

She threw the pot at Ellie's feet and laughed as it shattered into jigsaw pieces impossible to match together. She heard sniffling and turned around to find the source of the crying. Silent tears streaked down Ellie's cheeks.

"GET OUT OF MY GREENHOUSE!" she shouted through her tears. "GET THE HELL OUT!"

Sonya patted Ellie on the head like a dog that fetched a bone for his master. "Stop blubbering, it'll be over soon."

She went back to the three shelves and knocked them down, one by one. They collided together and sounded like bombs exploding in the tiny greenhouse. Sonya snatched more flower pots and threw them at the walls. Bags of fertilizer hadn't been disturbed until she spied them resting against a wall. Sonya ripped one bag apart with a pair of shears and the fertilizer spilled out. She grabbed an empty flower pot that lay on the floor on its side. Using it to scoop up fertilizer, she ran over to Ellie and dumped it on her head.

"Ya like that, little Miss Green Thumb?" Sonya mashed the dirt in Ellie's hair. She reached down, grabbed a handful of fertilizer and soil, and shoved it in Ellie's face. "How about you, Hank? This place was boring before, look at it now. Much more colorful!"

Wu nodded. "It's beautiful, Sonya." He applauded in approval.

Torn flower petals were scattered all over the greenhouse. Green plants missing their blossoms lay dying on the floor, upturned from their soil. Jagged pieces of flower pots littered the area. Trails of fertilizer were spilled in every direction. Wooden tables and shelves were turned over, broken and completely useless.

Sonya grinned widely as she continued to demolish the greenhouse. It looked like a tornado had stopped by, picked up the greenhouse, shook it in the air for good measure and dropped it down on the island.

She took extreme pleasure in dealing out destruction and if she couldn't have Dodgson as a playmate, then she was simply excited to work for him. She knew why Lopez worshipped the ground Dodgson walked on, but why did she follow him so willingly? Sonya was like Tembo in this respect: she'd follow Dodgson and obey his orders, but she was out for herself. She was eager to take on exciting assignments that allowed her to experience firsthand the thrill of the hunt. Working for Dodgson allowed her to take control, to do things she had never done before: like get dressed up as a U.S. Marshall and bust a prisoner out of the system.

Sonya remembered her first time meeting Nedry and Lopez's reaction. Lopez was jealous that another man was attracted to her. She noticed only Lopez acted that way and then realized that Tembo had felt the same way when she and Nedry would hang out and laugh together. Lopez was more obvious in his intense hatred for Nedry. Tembo was subtle, and had other goals he focused on like taking Muldoon's position as game warden for Jurassic Park. Muldoon never gave her a second glance and neither did Lawala. Back when they were both in Africa, she might have dated Muldoon, but he was too serious for her and she couldn't stand that. _Yep, Robert, you were too…good…for me, _she thought, smiling. Besides, Sonya loved other things aside from doing insane heists for Dodgson and being the object of several men's affections.

Attention. She craved attention, be it negative or positive. And right now, based on the way Ellie was watching her tear up the greenhouse, Sonya was getting plenty of attention.

**oOo**

Two weeks had gone by since that morning in the cafeteria when Dodgson first split them up. For Arnold, it dragged on like two years.

He was never allowed to leave the control room except on three occasions: when he had to use the bathroom, when he wanted to eat at the cafeteria, and to rest for the night in the staff lodge. It was two different things to voluntarily stay in the control room versus being held prisoner in against his will.

He never even saw Muldoon anymore, at least, not in person. He watched Muldoon and Tembo on the video monitors. Muldoon carried on with the tough personality he was known and respected for, but Arnold could see unreleased rage burning in his eyes, and he heard it in his voice whenever he spoke to Tembo. That was all Arnold had seen of him for the past two weeks. Sometimes he heard Muldoon's door in the staff lodge open and close, and he knew Tembo was making Muldoon work at all hours. During those times, Arnold wanted to meet with Muldoon, even if it was for a moment, but he was too tired to do so. Instead, Arnold watched Muldoon on the monitors, and hated the fact that they were on the same island, but couldn't speak to each other to form a plan against Biosyn.

The same followed for everyone else. The only way Arnold knew what was going on with them was through the video monitors in the control room. Wu annoyed Harding to the point where Harding looked like he would tear Wu's eyes out. Arnold had never seen Harding that angry, but Wu was really pushing him to that point.

Sonya constantly harassed Ellie. Earlier today, she had destroyed Ellie's greenhouse while Ellie was forced to watch. She was totally helpless to stop it from happening. Arnold's heart ached at seeing Ellie in tears for her destroyed greenhouse. She had put countless hours into cultivating her plants and had maintained it for more than a year with Lex's assistance. Sonya tore it up in less than an hour while Wu cheered her on. Arnold couldn't think of one valid reason Sonya had for bullying Ellie and ruining her greenhouse except that she wanted to do something to prove her loyalty to Dodgson. It was horrible to watch and Arnold had forced himself to turn off the video monitor that showed what was happening.

The most painful thing for Arnold was seeing Malcolm, Tim, and Lex get locked in the emergency bunker against their wills. There was nothing he could to help them and when he had gotten up from his swiveling chair in the control room, Lawala forced him back down in his chair. That was the only time Lawala put his hands on Arnold. Arnold was too angry by what he saw on the video monitor to focus on what Lawala had done to him. Aside from the anger, there was an overwhelming feeling of helpless. He hated his helplessness, especially knowing that they weren't too far from him. All he could do was watch as Lopez locked them in, while Malcolm struggled to open both doors to no avail. That happened the same day everyone was split up and they were cooped up in the bunker all day. That day stretched into several more…Dodgson made sure someone from his team was always guarding them from the outside.

Arnold had retired for the night and he wanted to speak to Muldoon about it, but it was after one o'clock in the morning when Lawala finally allowed him to leave. By then Muldoon was either sleeping or out in the park with Tembo, showing him the dinosaurs' nocturnal habits. Harding was already asleep and so was Ellie. Arnold had a sinking feeling that no one had spoke to each other that day.

When he woke up the next day, he hoped they would be released. But he knew they were still locked in the bunker when everyone met in the cafeteria and Malcolm, Lex, and Tim failed to show up. No one even asked where they were, that was the most surprising thing. Everyone had to notice their absence, but no one spoke up. Arnold had raised his hand to ask Dodgson, but he was ignored and ushered into the control room by Lawala. Before leaving the cafeteria, Arnold had glanced over his shoulder at Gennaro who stood watching.

Gennaro had seen his hand go up and looked as if he were about to ask Arnold what was wrong, but he didn't move. He stayed right by Dodgson's side, further infuriating Arnold. At the end of the week, they were released from the emergency bunker and Malcolm went with the kids to the staff lodge. They were escorted by Lopez who still carried around Muldoon's shotgun as if it were his. He had seen them briefly since then, but still hadn't been able to find out exactly what happened and how they were doing.

Two weeks had passed since then. Lawala still controlled Arnold like a prisoner on twenty-three hour lockdown he was assigned to guard. He followed him into the restroom and cafeteria, and never spoke a word to Arnold. Sometimes it was very quiet in the control room and Arnold would look over his shoulder to see if Lawala had fallen asleep. Lawala would stare straight back at him, wide awake and ever alert.

Overall, he seemed to be the most decent person on Dodgson's team. Unlike the rest of the Biosyn staff, Lawala didn't go out of his way to make Arnold miserable. He didn't take pleasure in harming or taunting him. He simply did his job: he watched Arnold's every move—but he did it so minimally as if it pained him to carry out Dodgson's orders. Lawala never said anything about Arnold's constant smoking and he showed little emotion so it was hard to tell what he was thinking or feeling. Arnold still hadn't found out about Muldoon's connection to him and he didn't want to ask Lawala.

Arnold glanced at the clock on the wall. It was a quarter past eleven in the evening. He had eaten his dinner four hours ago: stir-fried vegetables alongside breaded boneless chicken with bottled water. Arnold was usually ecstatic to have his favorite meal, but tonight he ate slowly not tasting anything. As soon as he had finished, Lawala made sure he went back in the control room. At least Lawala let him eat his dinner in the cafeteria. Wu didn't allow Harding to leave the paddocks under any circumstances.

Midnight was quickly approaching and Arnold yawned. Behind him, Lawala went to the control room's door and opened it. Arnold looked up in surprise. Whenever Lawala opened the door past eleven o'clock in the evening, it was his way of signaling for Arnold to go to the staff lodge for the evening. It meant their time in the control room was finished for the day. Most times Lawala waited between midnight and one in the morning to open it, but today he was running early. Arnold wasn't one to complain.

"Thanks." He stood up and stretched his arms.

Lawala nodded and held the door open for him. Arnold exited the control room. He wondered if Dodgson would send Baselton in there to cover the night shift, but he didn't really give a damn. All that mattered was that he was getting an extra hour of sleep from his usual meager six hours. Lawala went down the hallway and headed towards the visitor center's lobby. Arnold watched him leave and then lit a cigarette, leaning against the control room's door. He took a drag and relaxation took over him. He knew smoking was unhealthy, but it always kept him serene. _Screw the critics._ It was time to go to the staff lodge. He'd jump into bed and sleep for hours.

Arnold took one step when he saw someone that quickly zapped his peaceful feelings.

Gennaro stood several feet away from him. He looked as though he had been heading for the control room, and his semi-happy expression told Arnold that he was glad he had caught up with him in the nick of time. _Look no further,_ Arnold thought angrily as he snatched his cigarette from his mouth. Gennaro came forward and attempted to appear cheerful.

"So…Ray…how's it going?"

Arnold squinted at him. "It's going."

"How was your day?"

"How was yours?"

Gennaro swallowed nervously. "Oh…the same as always." His eyes fell to the floor and lingered there. "Nothing special."

"I see."

Arnold started towards the lobby so that he could leave the visitor center and go to the staff lodge.

"Wait!" Gennaro called from behind.

Arnold stopped and glanced over his shoulder at Gennaro. Gennaro came over to him and shoved his hands in his pockets. He stared at the ground and then met Arnold's icy glare.

"I was wondering if we could talk…for a moment…about…"

"About what?"

"About what's been going on with InGen…" Gennaro paused as he struggled to get his words out. "I wanted to speak with you first."

Arnold was quiet as he registered what Gennaro had told him. He thought of Nedry coming back to make amends. Gennaro was attempting to do the same thing, but at this point, Arnold didn't want to hear it. He had waited two weeks—no, it was more than two weeks since Biosyn had taken over. _Why do people think they can backstab us, come back to utter the five-letter word 'sorry', and expect everything to be okay?_ Arnold knew this wasn't the first nor the last time he would wonder this. Antarctica was a tropical paradise right now compared to how he felt.

"So now you want to talk to me…now you want to sweep every ugly thing you ever said to me under the rug."

Gennaro's complexion paled to ashen gray.

"Why didn't you speak up when we needed your help? Now you want to talk to me and be friendly like nothing happened. As if you never said I should be fired. As if you never blamed me for Robert's disappearance or yelled at Tim and Lex for nothing." Arnold's anger mounted. "I don't know whether to laugh, cry, or spit in your goddamn face."

Gennaro's lips quivered.

"_Now_ you want to talk to me…" Arnold shook his head and when he spoke next, his voice was choked. "Why couldn't you talk to me then? Why? You were too content to yell at me and sit on your little toy throne not doing a damn thing to help anyone here!"

"Ray, hold—"

"No, _you _hold up! Now you want to pretend as if you always treated me with respect—as if you treated _everyone_ who worked for Hammond with dignity."

Gennaro mumbled under his breath. He meant to speak louder, but he couldn't bring himself to.

Arnold stared at him. He couldn't make out what Gennaro had said, although he heard him mention the word "mistake". What was he trying to say? That he made a mistake in working with Dodgson? That Hammond made a mistake in hiring Arnold? Either way, he didn't care nor did he want to hear it. Finally, he took a step back in an effort to prevent himself from striking Gennaro.

"Get the hell out my face."

With his mood completely ruined, Arnold stomped off, leaving Gennaro standing in front of the control room, drenched in his regret and late apologies.


	8. Malcolm's Plan and Ellie's Compromise

**Malcolm's Plan and Ellie's Compromise**

"I know this is the last place you want to be after what she did," Ian Malcolm said, "but you can't let her have this much power over you." His voice was gentle, yet firm.

His hand closed around the greenhouse's door handle. When he didn't hear her footsteps behind him, Malcolm turned around. Ellie Sattler hadn't moved from the gas-powered jeep. She leaned against the side, arms folded across her chest and her eyes focused on a nearby shrubbery. She purposely avoided looking at the greenhouse. Malcolm expected this to be difficult, but he had hoped that coming to the greenhouse together would make it easier on Ellie.

"Can we go back to the lodge? This is a waste of time and you know it, Ian."

Apparently, his presence didn't make the situation better. Today marked a week since Sonya Durant had destroyed Ellie's greenhouse. Ellie had not returned to the building since that time, nor had she bothered showing up at the mandatory meetings in the cafeteria. Both Sonya and Lewis Dodgson didn't seem to mind that Ellie had disappeared off their radar. This morning's cafeteria meeting was the first time Ellie had returned. Dodgson and Sonya said nothing about her being there, just as they hadn't bothered to seek her out during the week that she refused to show up. They were satisfied with the destruction of the greenhouse since it had effectively murdered Ellie's spirit.

Malcolm was keenly aware of this fact and decided it was time for Ellie to face the situation for what it was, instead of continuing to avoid it. He also wanted to speak to her about a plan he had been putting together. This was his main reason for bringing her out there in the dead of the night. Dodgson's team hadn't completely let up on the InGen staff, so Malcolm had decided the best thing was to go to the greenhouse in the late night hours. By that time most of the Biosyn team was asleep. The only one usually awake during this time was Roland Tembo, but they hadn't run into him tonight, so they were safe for now.

Malcolm sighed. "Just come in this one time—for me," he added.

She shrugged and reluctantly approached the building that had become her escape and peace for more than two years.

"Did you bring it with you?"

Ellie nodded and held up the manila envelop.

They stood side by side in front of the door. Malcolm stepped back to see what Ellie would do. Slowly, she forced herself to grab the door handle. Malcolm placed his hand on hers firmly and together they opened the door. Taking a deep breath, Ellie stepped inside. Behind her, Malcolm flipped on the light switch and gasped. It wasn't his intention to outwardly show his shock upon seeing the upturned tables, broken shelves, torn bags of soil, broken shelves, flattened flowers, and pottery fragments.

"I know it's bad," Ellie said quietly. "That's why I haven't been back. I wouldn't even know where to start."

Malcolm walked in further and brought a table with one broken leg to rest against the wall. He brushed the dirt and pottery fragments off.

"Let me see the papers," he said, holding out his hand.

Ellie handed him the manila envelop, and then ran her fingers through her hair. "I guess I should start doing something tonight."

"Not now Ellie."

It was too late. She had already managed to pull out a broom from underneath an upturned shelf.

Malcolm watched her. He then opened the manila envelop and took out the papers. He scanned them and noted the last destination listed on the itinerary was Montana State University. According to the papers, Alan Grant was supposed to be there sometime this month. Malcolm didn't expect Grant to be away for this long, but it appeared he had planned his trip in the United States to last six months. Malcolm ticked off his fingers. Muldoon and Nedry were missing for two months and that was just after Grant left. The following three months after their return marked Biosyn's reign of terror. They staff had taken over everything and everyone on the island during that time and this was the current situation. _Alan should be in the fifth month of his trip, _Malcolm thought. _That seems accurate._ He looked up when he heard sniffling. Ellie wiped a tear away.

"It's going to get better; the only direction we can go is forward, not backwards."

"Yeah…sure…aren't you optimistic?" Ellie laughed bitterly. She waved him away as though wanting to be alone.

Always dressed in black clothes, Malcolm wished her present mood didn't match his attire. He set the papers on the desk and approached her, holding out his hand. She turned her back to him. His arms encircled her waist and he rested his chin rested on her shoulder.

"I have an idea."

Ellie removed his arms from her waist with one hand while still holding onto the broom.

"For the last time, Ian, no more ideas. Robert's idea to interrogate Roland backfired on everyone."

"This one will work."

Ellie wasn't listening to him. She swept the scattered debris into a pile in one corner of the greenhouse. Satisfied, she started on another section of the greenhouse. Malcolm backed off and watched as she walked around the greenhouse, not meeting his gaze. He knew if he approached her again, she'd shout at him, kick him out of the greenhouse, or break down crying. He didn't want her to do any of these things, especially the last one, so he stood back simmering in his own jumbled emotions. He knew he wasn't going through this ordeal alone and neither was Ellie.

Hopelessness suffocated everyone on the island: the InGen staff and Tim and Lex Murphy. The paralyzing fear and increasing tension made things far worse. Everyone was frozen in time. No one moved forwards or backwards. Each day was the same. Nothing changed. There was no one to turn to, no one that could help them, and no one they could call. Malcolm knew that this was the darkest situation hat InGen had ever faced.

Everyone was still split up since Dodgson's decision to micromanage the staff. Because there was hardly any time to meet together, the group was unable to unite. The most convenient time was late at night or in the early morning hours and by then, everyone was physically and emotionally exhausted by the day's events.

No one trusted each other. The lack of faith was especially seen in Hammond's park staff. Their morale had hit an extreme low after Henry Wu had betrayed them to join Dodgson. This treacherous move had been far more damaging then Dennis Nedry's—at least to some on the island. They often wondered who would leave InGen next to jump on Biosyn's bandwagon. Robert Muldoon always pointed at Donald Gennaro as being a future traitor and they would argue for hours until Ray Arnold separated them. It was bad enough they had a Biosyn team member breathing down all of their backs. The arguing made things harder and it was all the more reason why they needed to unite if they ever hoped to mutiny successfully against Dodgson.

Malcolm and Ellie were aware of the tensions within the staff and the danger Biosyn's team presented. They kept Lex and Tim safe. They allowed the kids watch movies all day in the recreation room at the staff lodge. During the first week, the teenagers were fine with it. The second week, it became repetitive and Ellie and Malcolm decided to take turns and spend every other day with them. It was during that time that Malcolm finalized the details of his plan—a plan that would take the utmost courage of one teenage girl.

**oOo**

Arnold waited until he heard the sound of a door closing and knew it was time to make his move. It was after three in the morning and this was a perfect time. He snatched the folded papers from his desk. Opening his door slightly, he poked his head out to make sure the coast was clear. It was. Arnold breathed a sigh of relief and then quickly shoved the papers under Muldoon's door. He knocked once and then quickly went back into his room. The papers would be the first thing Muldoon saw before he left his room to go to the morning meetings that Dodgson still forced them to attend.

Malcolm had slipped these papers under his door earlier before the morning meeting in the cafeteria. One paper had instructions and the other had an invitation with four initials listed underneath.

**Meet at Staff Lodge at 2:00am - Saturday  
****Go to Recreational Room****  
Food, friends, and fun****  
Guest Speaker: Ian Malcolm  
Topic: Chaos Theory and the Butterfly Effect **

RA _Ray Arnold_  
RM  
GH  
DG (???)

Arnold had been instructed to pass on the invitation to Muldoon after he was done, and Muldoon was to do the same and pass it to Harding. It could only be done in the morning hours when they were supposed to be asleep. It wasn't direct communication, but it was better than nothing. When Arnold had read the notes this morning he had been excited. Finally, something was brewing among the InGen staff.

He had noticed Gennaro's initials after Harding's and wasn't sure what he thought of it. He recalled that Gennaro had tried to apologize to him. At the time, Arnold didn't want to hear it because he didn't know if Gennaro was sincere or not, and furthermore, he was sick of his disgusting attitude. He had briefly mentioned it to Ellie one evening when they were both retiring for the night. Ellie had nodded, but said nothing. She was still upset about the destruction of her greenhouse, Arnold knew, and so she kept to herself.

Arnold didn't mention anything to Harding since he had to keep to the listed order of the note. He was certain Muldoon would pass it to Harding, although it was unclear whether or not Harding would pass the note Gennaro. Arnold knew he could only do his part: sign his name to show that he read the instructions and pass on the message. Showing up for this secret meeting was the first time in a long time that he had looked forward to something on the island.

**oOo**

Four days later, the note had circulated amongst the InGen staff and the Biosyn team was none the wiser.

Gennaro woke up at one-thirty in the morning and quickly dressed himself. At first, he forgot why he was up at this time and then he remembered the note Harding showed him two nights earlier after everyone was asleep. Reading it quickly, Gennaro got the impression that this was a top secret meeting InGen was holding with the intention of making plans. He wasn't sure if he should be thankful they included him, since he had been schmoozing with Dodgson, but he decided to take it for what it was worth. Before leaving, Harding made him swear not to breathe a word of this to Biosyn. Gennaro had nodded silently.

The following two days after that were the same: everyone met for Dodgson's morning meetings and then went their separate ways. Gennaro had once ran into Harding since that time and asked in coded language what happened to the note. "_Gone_" was Harding's only response. Gennaro figured he ripped up the papers and flushed them down the toilet. There would be no evidence that Biosyn could get their hands on.

He finished tying his shoes and headed to the recreational room. The door was closed and he knocked lightly. Malcolm let him in and Gennaro entered to find Lex and Tim setting a table with plastic eating utensils, paper plates, and napkins.

"I thought we were having a meeting?" Gennaro asked.

"We are," Malcolm said. He gestured to a folding chair that Tim had placed at the head of the table. "Take a seat and relax."

Gennaro blinked, confused as to what was going on.

Ellie came out with a fruit platter. "Thanks for coming."

"Yeah…sure thing…" Gennaro slowly sat down, unsure of what else to say. He watched Lex place a jar of salsa and a plate of chips in the center of the table. "Do you need any help?"

Lex glanced at Gennaro with raised eyebrows. She was shocked that he had asked her a question—instead of insulting her. "Thanks, but we're good."

There was a tapping sound at the door and Malcolm answered it. Harding and Arnold sauntered in and Malcolm closed the door quickly.

"Just letting you know that Robert isn't sure if he can make it," Arnold said. "He left a note under my door this morning mentioning that Roland Tembo will make him go out tonight."

"I see," Malcolm said, "he hasn't let up on Robert."

"No." Arnold shook his head. "He said he'll try to sneak back here for the meeting. If not, I'll leave him a note about what's going on."

"That sounds fine, but it would be better if he were here. Let's give him some time to see if he shows up."

Arnold agreed and Malcolm invited him and Harding to sit at the table. Both men did and then glanced at Gennaro, shocked that he was present.

"So you decided to come?" Harding asked.

"I did. It's the least I can do," Gennaro said.

Arnold stared at him, but said nothing.

"I'll take it as a sign of good faith," Harding mentioned. He gestured to the food on the table. "Are we having a party here?"

Gennaro shrugged.

"Everyone can dig in," Malcolm said, sitting at the table. "We'll start our meeting afterwards."

He was joined by Ellie, Tim, and Lex. They ate quietly. It was the first time in a long time that they were sitting together at the same table without the usual tension. Just then there was a soft tapping at the door. Malcolm bolted out of his seat and breathed a sigh of relief when he saw it was Muldoon.

"Come in, take a seat. Make a plate for yourself."

"Thanks," Muldoon said, as he situated himself next to Arnold. "I was able to walk away from Tembo."

"Do you think he noticed?" Arnold asked as Malcolm closed and locked the door.

"Don't bloody know and don't bloody care."

Tim laughed and Lex smirked.

"Are you sure?" Everyone could hear the familiar note of worry in Arnold's voice. "What if he figures it out?"

"Then he has a brain in that thick skull after all."

Harding chuckled and high-fived Muldoon. For the next few minutes, small talk was exchanged amongst the group. Everyone seemed to steer clear of the obvious topics such as Dodgson splitting them up and making a Biosyn team member babysit them. No one outwardly questioned Gennaro's presence, although at times he seemed to be left out of the crowd. The joke of the night was Malcolm's invitation and how it had circulated unknown to the Biosyn team.

"We should've done this sooner," Harding said.

"You're right, and tonight we've got important matters to discuss," Ellie said, dipping a nacho into the salsa dip.

Harding was piling fruit on his second plate, when there was a loud knocking on the door. Unlike Muldoon's soft knocking, the person on the outside banged loudly, demanding to be allowed in. The group froze and exchanged looks across the table. Then they resumed eating, choosing to ignore the banging. Soon the loud banging turned into an obnoxious pounding. Ellie stood up, but Malcolm motioned her to sit down.

"Open the damn door!" a voice demanded.

Malcolm sighed as he stood up and opened the door halfway.

Tembo stood in the doorway.

"You're having a party and I wasn't invited?" he asked, glaring at the group. "You might want to cover your tracks better next time, Muldoon."

Muldoon got up from the table and went to stand behind Malcolm. "You might want to mind your business next time," he shot back.

Tembo snickered, but the amusement didn't reach his eyes. "So you're having a slumber party? Very juvenile on your part. Mind if I join?"

"Sorry, InGen staff only," Malcolm said, blocking the doorway to prevent him from barging in. "This is our party. Go and have your own—unless you want to hear my lecture on chaos theory."

"I have better things to do with my time."

"Then the exit is your best option."

"Dodgson will hear about this."

"Good."

Tembo stomped off and Malcolm shut the door again. He leaned against it and sighed, relieved that Tembo had left.

"Unbelievable," Muldoon growled, "they think a company take-over means getting involved in every damn thing."

Malcolm watched everyone finish eating. "I think we should start the meeting now—the sooner the better."

**oOo**

The meeting began as soon as Malcolm was certain Tembo was gone. Muldoon went outside to check the lodge's perimeter just in case Tembo (or anyone else) was nearby spying on them, but he returned minutes later to confirm that no one from the Biosyn team was hovering around.

"Let's get started, shall we?" Malcolm said, attempting to sound cheerful. "You're not here to hear a lecture about chaos theory, sorry if that disappoints anyone."

Harding smiled and shook his head, noting Malcolm's odd humor. Everyone else wore a glum expression.

"We can't let Biosyn take Jurassic Park and InGen down without putting up a fight," Malcolm said. "We're going to take back this park."

"How?" Harding asked.

"Right now, we're outnumbered, but it's not just that. Everyone's morale has hit rockbottom. You should see the expression on your faces." Malcolm gestured to the staff. "When you've hit the lowest point, you can only go up."

"What goes down must come up," Arnold muttered more to himself.

"What's that?"

Arnold shook his head. "Nothing…just something Henry said once."

"Forget that bastard," Muldoon growled. "He's with _them _now."

"Unfortunately…" Arnold lit a cigarette. "What are you thinking, Ian? What's your plan? Spill the beans."

"We have to kick Dodgson and his little cronies off Isla Nublar. This isn't an option. It's true that we lost Henry to them. John's in the hospital, Dennis is in jail, and Dr. Grant—Alan—is in the States, but we're going to change that."

"So you're saying if we had more people on our side, if things were evened out, we could go against Biosyn," Arnold said, not hiding the doubtful note in his voice.

"Precisely."

"That's all fine and good, but how are we going to get off the island?" Arnold glanced at everyone. "Has anyone else thought of this? There's no way in hell that Dodgson is letting us _near _the docks or the helipad because he knows exactly what we'd do the moment an opportunity presents itself."

Harding nodded in agreement. "We have to plan how we're going to get past him _and _his band of merry jerks. After that fiasco in the control room with Roland Tembo, Dodgson isn't likely to let anyone leave this island, especially not an InGen employee. He's seen to it that no one leaves or enters the island."

Malcolm frowned in thought. He should've known to expect this level of doubt from the InGen staff. He glanced at Ellie. She met his eyes and shrugged as if to say _I don't know what to tell you._ He could tell she wanted to say something more uplifting and encouraging, but the truth was she had probably asked herself the same questions that Arnold and Harding brought up. She spoke up confirming everyone's thoughts.

"We're prisoners here on Isla Nublar—on our own island," Ellie said. "It shouldn't be that way."

"I know, I know," Malcolm answered. "But I have ideas of how we're going to get Jurassic Park and InGen back if anyone wants to hear them."

Arnold puffed on his cigarette and shrugged in response. Tim and Lex looked at the staff and then at Malcolm, expecting him to respond and silence everyone's doubts. Ellie looked at everyone around the table. Harding sighed. Muldoon locked eyes with Malcolm, waiting for a reasonable explanation. Surprising everyone, Gennaro spoke up.

"Why do you care about what happens to Jurassic Park or InGen? Weren't you against the project from the beginning?"

"I still have my reservations about the park." Malcolm straightened up. "I always will. Everything can change, but that will remain constant."

"Then why do you care now?" Gennaro pressed.

"It's not about the park—it's about the company and the crappy situation we're in because of Biosyn. I don't think anyone knew Dodgson could be this bad, except for the person who's worked under him before—Dennis. They've taken the phrase 'kill the competition' to a new level. I have ideas of how we're going to gain control again—even if it looks impossible."

"You keep saying that. We're waiting."

Malcolm ignored Gennaro's familiar cold manner and continued to explain his plan. "One of us has to be able to leave this island and we'll do it. If one of us is able to get to the Costa Rican mainland, we can radio for help. We can go to the States and find Dr. Grant. I know he'd help us."

The staff exchanged skeptical glances.

"Does he even know about the situation or your plan?" Gennaro asked.

"No, but that's all the more reason we need to get him back here."

"What about getting the cops?" Muldoon persisted.

"We can't get the police involved in this. We have to do it on our own."

"_Who?_" Arnold jumped in, agitated. "Who's going to get him?"

Malcolm took a step back and looked at Lex who sat next to Tim.

**oOo**

The adults in the room stared at Lex as though she had the answers. She didn't like the unspoken expectation that she would fix the huge mess they were in. She felt as if they were pricking her with thin needles, expecting her to respond. She looked up at him and then realized how quiet the room had become as they all focused on her. Malcolm placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder.

"Lex, you know about our situation right now. You understand it, right?" he asked.

She looked up at him and then at the adults. Her throat was parched and she swallowed nervously, tasting nothing.

"I know what's going on. The other company is trying to kick my grandfather's staff off the island."

"They haven't gone that far yet."

"They've come close enough," Muldoon said.

Lex glanced at him and remembered how she wanted to hug him after he destroyed the raptors with Grant. She looked at Arnold who fiddled with his lit cigarette. Arnold was always nice to her and showed her the computers since he knew she was interested in them. Next to him was Harding. Harding allowed Tim to accompany him when he went into the paddocks to check on sick dinosaurs. They were like family to her and she knew in her heart that she'd do anything for them, just as they had done anything for her and Tim. She saw Gennaro standing off to the side. He was cold and impersonal so she skipped over him and her eyes met Ellie's.

"El" as she called her, had become a friend to her, a mentor. She was the only female adult on the island affiliated with InGen and the only strong female presence—not counting Sonya Durant. When Lex had no one else to talk to, she knew she could count on her. Ellie was always there to listen to her, give her honest advice, and offer her a shoulder to lean and cry on. Lex also admired Ellie for working in a male-dominated field. Ellie held up against the best. She knew her field of study very well. Lex aspired to be like her, even if she had never told her so. Lex looked into Ellie's hard blue eyes and she felt tears burning in her own. She didn't want to cry—not in front of everyone. _Why can't I be strong like El?_ Lex thought.

Ellie read the heavy expression on her face. "You have nothing to be afraid of, Lex." She walked across the room to where Lex sat and embraced her. That did it. Tears escaped Lex's eyes and Ellie motioned for the men to leave the room. "Let me talk with her for a few minutes—we'll call you back in."

Malcolm nodded and left the room. The rest of the men followed him. Tim trailed behind and offered his older sister a hug before closing the door.

"Lex?" Ellie asked gently.

Lex didn't respond for a few minutes. When she did, her voice was choked up.

"Why can't I be strong like you?"

"You're stronger than you give yourself credit for. Remember when your grandfather was taken to the hospital?"

Lex nodded.

"You were the rock he needed to lean on. When he saw you, you gave him hope. Just like you give _us_ hope."

"None of that matters. Grandpa's gone, everyone is mad at each other; no one wants me and Tim around—"

"Hold on. Your grandfather isn't gone."

"He's not here and that's the same thing."

"He will return someday—you have to believe that," Ellie insisted.

Lex looked at Ellie, studying her face. "Do _you_ believe that?"

Ellie didn't speak. After a moment, she nodded.

Lex had noticed her hesitation and shook her head violently. "No, you don't—don't even pretend! None of you believe Grandpa's coming back! It's like you all forgot about him once he was taken to the hospital."

"That's not true—"

"It is to me and Tim!" Lex's voice suddenly rose, and she sounded as though she was very close to shouting. "Everyone says we'll see him next week or that he'll come back soon as if we're supposed to believe that. We know better!"

Ellie recoiled from her accusations. Everything was crashing down on Lex. It was unfair for her to carry the company's burden. _She and Tim shouldn't be around to witness everything crumbling._ This thought usually ran through Ellie's mind. She wished many times that she could turn back the hands of time and ensure that Hammond was safe in the bunker that day; but the past was the past, and the only thing she could do was help Lex cope with the present situation. She wouldn't give her false hope, knowing it would make things worse. She wanted to encourage her, although she understood all too well the hopeless that Lex expressed. She reached out to her and Lex pushed her back. Ellie didn't retaliate or scold her.

"It's alright—get it out. It's better that way."

"Why does it have to be this way?" Lex asked with tears running down her cheeks. "What if Grandpa never comes back? What if we're forced to leave the island? Where will we go?"

Ellie didn't answer her right away. She took a deep breath and gathered her thoughts.

"Everyone is fried by what's going on. That's why Mr. Arnold and Mr. Muldoon are bumping heads; it's why Mr. Harding keeps to himself. As for you and Tim, we want you around, we don't want you to go near Lewis Dodgson—we want what's best for you and Tim. We're doing the best we can—it's all we can do for now until we get help." She paused and then made sure she sounded certain with her next statement: "And Dodgson won't push us off this island—it'll be a cold day in hell before he even _thinks _he can do that."

Ellie wondered if she were trying to convince Lex or herself.

**oOo**

Down the hallway, everyone else, save for Lex and Ellie, questioned Malcolm's plan.

"So you want to bail Dennis out of jail, send Lex to get Dr. Grant—we don't even know where he is—" Arnold said, ticking the ideas off his fingers.

"Ellie has a copy of his itinerary," Malcolm said, taking out a manila envelope from his jacket. He opened it and passed the contents around.

Arnold put out his cigarette and resisted the urge to light a new one. Right now he felt calmer than before. He glanced at Alan Grant's itinerary that included trips to the Museum of Natural History in New York City and Montana State University.

"What's he been doing all this time?" Muldoon asked.

"If he's followed it accurately, then he's been giving lectures, attending conferences, and doing some research in the States," Malcolm said.

"You think Lex will be able to find him in the States?"

"Absolutely. She just needs the itinerary, money, and a heart of steel." Malcolm glanced at the itinerary over Harding's shoulder. "Right now, he's in Montana State University and he's not leaving until the end of this month, so we still have time."

"Where are we getting the money from to fund this trip?" Gennaro asked.

A wide grin lit up Malcolm's face. "Good question!"

Muldoon and Harding glanced at each other and then at Malcolm.

"Well?" Muldoon asked impatiently.

"I've got access to Hammond's emergency funds." Just as he predicted, all of them were flabbergasted and speechless. Arnold coughed. Only Tim was excited.

"That's so cool! You can get into Grandpa's account!"

"That's right, Tim," Malcolm said confidently.

"That's impossible," Gennaro said. He shook his head. "_I'm_ his lawyer. Why would he entrust anything—especially his trust funds— to _you_?"

"_Emergency_ funds," Malcolm corrected him.

"How? Why? When did this happen?"

"I'm sure everyone remembers the day John asked Robert to place two raptors in the pen, while him and I went to the Costa Rican mainland to take care of private matters."

Tim's eyebrows knitted together in confusion. He glanced at everyone else and noticed realization dawning on Muldoon's and Arnold's faces. Harding looked as confused at Tim. Gennaro was the only one not impressed by Malcolm's revelation.

"_That's _what he did that day?" Arnold asked. "John never told us anything about it!"

"It's a cliché," Malcolm said, "but you should always expect the unexpected."

Muldoon stared at Malcolm, completely shocked. He removed his fedora and leaned against the wall, still reeling from the news.

"You learn something new everyday," Harding marveled.

**oOo**

"What does Dr. Malcolm want me to do? How will I find Dr. Grant? I have a passport, but will the airports let me board a plane by myself? What if I get lost? What if Dr. Grant doesn't want to come back?"

Lex paced back and forth as she fired questions. Ellie barely had time to answer them and even then she had to stop and think about what she would say. When Malcolm came to her with the idea of Lex leaving Isla Nublar to find Dr. Grant, even Ellie didn't think it would be possible. She had her own answerless questions that haunted her: how would they convince Dodgson to let her off the island? Would someone—Malcolm or Ellie—go with her?

Then there was the other part of Malcolm's plans: bailing Dennis Nedry out of jail. They had to find which jail he was located in since it wasn't certain if Gennaro would reveal his whereabouts. Nedry might have been transferred to the States since it had been nearly three to months ago since he had been arrested. Was it possible to bail someone out in a Costa Rican jail? Ellie was unfamiliar with Costa Rica's judicial system and she doubted that Malcolm had done any research on it. Where would they get the money from, and would they accept American currency?

Ellie looked down. Lex hugged her and held tight. She wasn't crying anymore. She had regained her composure.

"I'm sorry, Ellie."

"It's okay. We're all feeling the same way."

"I know, but I didn't mean to yell at you."

"Don't worry about it." Ellie lifted Lex's chin so that she had direct eye contact with her. "It's going to be okay, Lex. I'm not just saying that…I know it will get better because it has to."

"I can do what Dr. Malcolm wants me to do. I _will_ do it. I'm…"

"Afraid?" Malcolm asked as he walked back into the room. "I'm sorry; did I come at a bad moment?"

"No, you're fine," Ellie said. She looked at Lex, who nodded.

"It's okay to be afraid…I am too," Malcolm told Lex. "I don't know if this plan will work or if Dr. Grant will come back, or if I can work out the bail situation, but it's worth a shot. We have to take our chances."

"I understand, Dr. Malcolm. Do you know how we're going to do it?" Lex's looked from Malcolm to Ellie, wondering if they had sound answers.

"I was thinking of you going to Dodgson—"

"NO!" Ellie interrupted him.

"Wait, let me finish. Tell Dodgson you're going to visit your grandfather on the mainland. It won't be a complete lie, because we _will_ go see John in the hospital. You can bring him flowers from Ellie's greenhouse."

"Or what's left of it," Ellie threw in.

Lex smiled at this idea, but her heart trembled and threatened to sink to her feet. She was thinking maybe Malcolm's plan could work—get back Dr. Grant and force Biosyn off the island. She was wondering if there was more to Malcolm's plan, when the rest of the group returned.

"Absolutely not," Gennaro said in mid-conversation to Arnold as he walked in. "Let him rot in a damp cell and contemplate how he got himself in that position. I don't see why you can't write him a letter and get info from him that way."

"It's because Dennis knows Dodgson better than anyone here," Muldoon explained.

"We have to do this together," Malcolm said, turning to them. "We have to trust each other."

"Are you sure you can trust _him_?"

Malcolm sighed and Lex figured they must've had this discussion already.

"We have to take our chances. We have nothing to lose and everything to gain if we follow through on all aspects of this plan."

"Chances," Gennaro spat out the word.

"Listen, okay? You, John, and the rest of the park staff trusted Henry and where is he now? He's not with us—he's assisting the other side in crushing the company he used to work for. Stop acting like Dennis is the only traitor. We're still wondering about you."

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?" Gennaro snapped.

Malcolm ignored him.

"Are you positive we can get him out?" Arnold asked.

"Positive. I told you I have access to John's emergency funds. We can use it to get Lex a plane ticket and traveling money to use in the States and to pay for Nedry's bail."

Ellie and Lex looked at each other and then at Malcolm.

"You have access…to John's money?" Now it was Ellie's turn to be shocked.

Lex looked at Malcolm and Ellie, wondering if they were going to bicker. She saw a burning fire in Ellie's eyes and Malcolm raised his hands as if to ward off the oncoming argument.

"He didn't tell you either, huh?" Gennaro sneered at her; then he pointed at Malcolm. "And you say we're supposed to 'trust each other'. Bullshit."

"If you can come up with something better, then do it. I've tried."

Malcolm threw his hands up in the air; he was physically and mentally exhausted. He slumped into a folding chair while massaging his temples.

Ellie suddenly grabbed Lex's wrist and stormed out of the room with her. Malcolm looked up at the sound of the door closing.

"Where's she going?" he asked. The men in the room shrugged, bewildered by what was going on.

**oOo**

Lex pulled up in front of the visitor center with Ellie in the passenger seat. Ellie had been teaching her how to drive around the island before her grandfather's accident. So far, Lex was a good driver. _Good thing she knows how to drive now,_ Ellie thought.

They left the jeep and walked up the steps, two at a time. There was purpose in their steps as both were determined to make Malcolm's plan work. Pushing open the doors to the center, they encountered Tembo standing guard by the dinosaur skeleton exhibit.

"Where do you think you're going?"

"Where's Dodgson?" Ellie asked authoritatively.

"He's in his office."

Ellie rolled her eyes, annoyed by what Tembo had told her. "His office" meant Dodgson was cozying up in John Hammond's bungalow. International Genetics and Jurassic Park would never belong to Dodgson no matter how hard he pretended he owned it. She would've told Tembo that, but then it would eliminate any chances of her and Lex seeing Dodgson.

"I want to see him," she demanded. "Get him out here."

"You don't order things around here." Tembo smirked. "You _ask _for it. Got that?"

"Get Lewis Dodgson out here right now, and I don't have to ask."

Ellie stood her ground. Lex watched amazed as Tembo glared at Ellie and then turned around to bring Dodgson over.

"I love how you did that," Lex whispered.

"Crack that whip." Ellie chuckled and then become serious. "Stand your ground no matter what."

A moment later, Dodgson emerged wearing his usual black business suit, his iron gray eyes hidden behind black shades. Tembo trailed after him and he pointed at Lex and Ellie as if his boss couldn't see the two women waiting for him. As Dodgson neared them, he motioned for Tembo to back off. Tembo nodded grudgingly and resumed his guard spot next to the exhibit.

"What can I do for you two lovely ladies this evening?" Dodgson asked.

He held out his hand, offering to shake hands with Lex. Lex forced herself to shake his hand as though they had completed a business transaction. As she did so, she searched his eyes behind the black shades he wore. They reminded her of a car's tinted windows where the driver can see what's outside of his car clearly, but viewers can't see inside. In the same way, he could see her, but she couldn't see him. Lex shivered.

Dodgson held out his hand to Ellie, who held up her hand protesting the cordial gesture. He then offered her a lukewarm smile. Ellie didn't smile back. She wasn't fooled by his superficial charm and never had been.

"You called me out of my office for…?" His voice trailed off.

"Mr. Dodgson, I'd like to leave the island to visit my grandfather on the mainland," Lex said.

"A fair request." He nodded in an understanding manner. "When do you wish to go?"

"Tomorrow."

"I can't promise you that."

"Then the end of this week," she persisted.

Dodgson didn't say anything for a full minute. When he spoke again, the suspicion in his voice was obvious. "Why do you wish to see him now?"

"His birthday is coming up."

"Am I supposed to care?"

"You should," Lex shot back.

Dodgson blinked, shocked by her sharp response.

Ellie looked from Dodgson to Lex. Dodgson looked as though he were trying to hide his annoyance by biting down on his lower lip. Lex stood facing Dodgson, her hands on her hips, and her face revealed no emotion. She cheered silently, proud of Lex for not being intimidated by Dodgson's demeanor or his toneless voice that showed how little he cared about her request. She even made up a fib about her grandfather's birthday. _I knew you could do it, Lex._

"So you want to fly to the Costa Rican mainland to visit Mr. Hammond."

"Yes, I'd like to see my grandfather. I shouldn't have to ask to do it."

Dodgson's lips curled into a malicious smile. "Sure, you can go see Grandpappy in the hospital. Tell you what, Lex."

"_Alexis_."

"Alexis. I'll let you go. Dr. Sattler is going with you?"

"She wants to go with Dr. Malcolm," Ellie said.

"Dr. Malcolm? Okay, we can arrange that. You can go tomorrow at noon."

Ellie's eyes widened. She tried to contain her shock, but this had been easy—a little too easy. Something about this wasn't right….

Lex was beaming from ear to ear. "Thanks, Dr. Dodgson."

"Call me, Lew."

"I prefer Dr. Dodgson," Lex called over her shoulder as she made her way to the front doors with Ellie.

"I'm fine with the idea of you seeing your grandfather. There's just one thing…I'd like to do an even exchange with you."

Lex was about to push the visitor center's doors open when she froze. Next to her, Ellie slowly turned around to face Dodgson. Both women exchanged a puzzled glance. _Even exchange? _

It was easy to detect the glee in Dodgson's voice. "You give me something while you and Dr. Malcolm visit your grandfather. When you return, then you can have it back."

"What are we exchanging?" Lex asked, unsure of the direction Dodgson was going in.

"You scratch my back, I scratch yours," he continued. "I lend you my pen since you lent me your pencil—that sort of thing."

Ellie stepped in front of her and faced Dodgson.

"Why don't you come out straight and say what it is you want," she said coolly. She didn't like the sound of this. She knew he'd ask for something in return to throw off their plans.

"The boy—what's his name? Tommy?"

"His name is Timothy," Lex said angrily.

"Whatever his name is." Dodgson shrugged.

Ellie turned to her. "Let me handle this, Lex." She turned back to Dodgson. "No, you can't have Tim. That's out of the question."

"Alright then, Dr. Sattler, since you made that decision…" Dodgson focused on Lex now. "Your grandfather will spend another day hooked up to intravenous lines—or whatever rehab they have him in now. It's your choice." He chuckled. "Even if you were to see him tomorrow, it'd be amazing if he even remembers you."

Dodgson grinned wickedly when he saw Lex's face fell. He turned his back on them and was about to walk back to Hammond's bungalow when he turned around quickly. A brilliant idea had occurred to him…

"I'll give you a choice. You can let me babysit Timmy or…" his voice trailed off as his eyes traveled from Ellie's legs to her blonde hair. He bit his lower lip again.

"Name your price, Dodgson," Ellie said.

"This isn't about money, my dear."

"You can refer to me as 'Dr. Sattler.'"

Dodgson nodded and appeared to abruptly change the topic. "An hour ago, Roland informed me you were having a party, but that he wasn't invited. He wasn't granted admission."

"That's right. That 'party' wasn't for Biosyn employees."

Ellie stood in her position when she saw Tembo step behind Dodgson as if backing up his claim.

"We're on the same island now, so it'd be best if we all work together to co-exist peacefully," Dodgson said as if he were a mediator.

"InGen will _never_ be a part of Biosyn."

"That's okay if you feel that way. As I was saying…you have a choice. You can send Timmy my way or dear sweet Alexis doesn't get to see Grandpappy tomorrow. You should know that it's no loss to Hammond. He's gone for many weeks without a visit or a phone call from his beloved staff and family."

Dodgson grinned happily and Ellie's fists clenched as though she were going to punch the slimy expression off his face.

"You son of a bitch!" she hissed.

"You can refer to me as 'Dr. Dodgson'."

Ellie shook her head. She was smoldering at his ruthless demeanor and quickly cleared her mind so she could wrestle the dilemma in her mind. She wouldn't put it past him to hurt Tim. If Dodgson was capable of bringing his rival company to its knees, then she knew she couldn't leave Tim alone with him. She had heard so much about Lewis Dodgson before the day he came to Isla Nublar under the guise of "Cameron Thorne". He had hired Nedry to steal the dinosaur embryos, released a rabies virus on unsuspecting Chilean farmers, and claimed to do genetic research for Biosyn—although in reality his field of expertise was industrial espionage. Chances were Dodgson rejoiced when he found out Hammond was sent to the hospital due to suffering a stroke. Ellie had often heard Malcolm refer to Dodgson as a sociopath and she knew he was correct.

Regardless of everything Dodgson was and had done, Ellie still had to make a decision. It wasn't an easy decision, but if it meant Malcolm and Lex could carry out their plan, then she'd have to compromise. _I'll have to give a little,_ she thought, frustrated at the situation Dodgson had put her in, _but it's for the best and will help everyone from InGen. Biosyn will lose…that's all there is to it._

Taking a deep breath, Ellie said, "Yes, you can keep an eye on Tim, but only on one condition." She held up her pointer finger.

"El?!" Lex looked at Dodgson who smiled, pleased at Ellie's response, and at Ellie who didn't lose her resolve. "What are you doing?! You can't—"

"Name your condition," Dodgson said, ignoring Lex.

"You can watch him as long as I'm there. I'm not leaving him alone with you."

"I'd prefer to spend quality time with just you, Dr. Sattler."

"We can have time together as long as Tim is there."

"Like one big happy fucking family. Sorry, Alexis, your grandfather is going to spend another day alone in that smelly hospital." Turning to Ellie, Dodgson smiled. "I know you're trying to pull one, you stupid bimbo—and it's not going to work."

"I'm NOT a bimbo," Ellie said slowly through clenched teeth, "any more than you're a real doctor. Either me and Tim, or nothing at all."

Dodgson scowled as he watched Ellie lean over to Lex and whisper something to her. Lex appeared angry and then quickly calmed down.

"Very well then, Dr. Sattler and Alexis. Show up at the helipad by twelve noon and not a minute later. Mr. Tembo will accompany you on your trip."

"Thank you," Ellie said. She purposely chose not to react to Dodgson's mention that Tembo would follow along. "I knew we'd reach an agreement."

Before Dodgson could change his mind or add another stipulation, Ellie left the visitor center with Lex.

**oOo**

Tembo joined Dodgson in the visitor center's lobby shortly after Ellie left with Lex.

"You overheard everything?" Dodgson asked Tembo.

Tembo nodded. "I'm surprised you didn't call them on their bullshit. It's obvious they're planning something."

"Let them plan and think they got the upper hand. It'll be hilarious to squash their little ideas. That's why you're going with them tomorrow."

"Am I?" Tembo asked, somewhat skeptical.

"To keep an eye on them…we'll discuss it further." Dodgson shook his head. "This is the worst thing they've planned since Dennis claimed he was going on the last assignment I gave him. I don't know why they think they can get over on me…but let them dream…"

**oOo**

They were close to the staff lodge when Lex put her thoughts and feelings on the table.

"How could you put Tim in that position?! You know how he is—he'll hurt Timmy!" She clenched the steering wheel. "You told me to stand my ground and not give in, but then you did...you gave in."

"I didn't want to, but I had no choice. He can't harm Tim if I'm there," Ellie said, trying to reassure Lex. "Together we're strong, isolated we're targets."

"I just don't—"

Ellie placed a hand on Lex's shoulder. "I'll be damned if he hurts Tim. Trust me, he'll be fine."

Lex sighed. "Do you promise?"

"I promise."

**oOo**

Malcolm glanced at his watch. It was four in the morning. Ellie had been gone longer than he expected. He wanted to go out and find her, but Muldoon had told him to be patient—Ellie would return. Malcolm yawned and he shook himself awake. He nodded towards the park staff, appreciative of their loyalty.

"Thanks for sticking around, guys," he said.

"Don't mention it," Arnold replied.

Muldoon and Harding sat near him, talking quietly. Gennaro had retired for the night. Before he left, he gave Malcolm the information regarding the jail where Nedry was detained. He had made one more comment about getting info from Nedry through writing, but Malcolm ignored it and Gennaro left for the evening. Tim had insisted on staying awake with the rest of them. He explained earlier to the staff that he was worried about his sister and wouldn't go to sleep until she returned with Ellie.

Malcolm closed his eyes again and listened to Arnold and Muldoon. It was a great sign that they were talking to each other and not arguing. He heard Muldoon remove the top of his flask.

"That's enough, Robert," Arnold said.

"There's no harm in it. 'Sides, you don't see me getting on your case for smoking all the damn time." Muldoon's words slurred. He had had quite a bit to drink after Ellie left.

"We have to work early tomorrow."

"When don't we have to work early?"

Arnold sighed.

"Don't worry, by then it'll be out of my system," Muldoon assured him. He took a quick sip and shoved the flask in his pocket.

At that same moment, Lex rushed into the room followed by Ellie. Malcolm sat upright in his chair wide awake. Harding went to shut the door.

"Ellie? Are you okay? Did things work out?" Malcolm asked.

"Yes, they did," she said. "Tomorrow we have to meet at the helipad at noon. Dodgson will be there waiting for you and Lex."

Malcolm's eyes widened. He felt both shocked and excited. "This is great news!"

"There's just one thing."

"What's that?"

Ellie looked back at Lex, who was talking to Tim and informing of what lay ahead in the coming hours. "I had to compromise, Ian. I agreed with Dodgson that I'd let him watch Tim."

Muldoon, Arnold, and Harding exchanged a knowing glance. "We'll watch Tim; you don't have to worry about that," Muldoon said.

"No," Ellie said firmly. "I agreed to let him watch Tim, but that I'd come along too. Otherwise he won't let Lex leave the island with Ian." She turned to Tim. "You'll be fine, I promise. He won't do anything to hurt you. He'll have to go through me before he does."

"What if he tries anything?" Tim asked. He looked at the adults, unsure if they would truly be able to protect him.

"He won't," Ellie said. "I'll make sure he doesn't."

Malcolm nodded. "I figured he'd do something like that. He wouldn't just let us leave."

"That's not all," Lex added. "Mr. Tembo is coming with us."

"Is he now?" A mischievous glint lit up Malcolm's eyes. "We'll form a plan around that minor inconvenience."

"You do that," Muldoon said. "The rest of us need to get some rest. We have a little over two hours before we meet in the cafeteria."

"Sounds fine. Thanks again," Malcolm said.

Arnold, Muldoon, and Harding made their way to Lex before leaving the room. Lex stood alone in the corner, muddled in her own thoughts. She knew the trip was necessary, she just hoped it worked so that things could go back to the way they were before Dodgson's group had invaded the island.

"If it means anything…I'm proud of you, Lex," Harding said. "Your grandfather would be too."

She looked up and wiped her left eye to stop a tear that threatened to fall. She had to be strong—she knew she was.

"Thank you."

Harding left the room quietly. Lex looked up as the door closed behind him.

"Remember your pride, Lex. You'll be in our prayers," Arnold said, smiling. "We're with you in this. This is going to work, I know it. You're going to be fine."

"What are you going to do in the meantime?" she asked.

"We're gonna hold onto our butts." Arnold put out his cigarette and laughed with Muldoon and Malcolm. Even Lex found herself giggling.

"We would stay around to help Dr. Malcolm plan this out, but we have to be up at six a.m. I hope you understand," Muldoon said.

"I do, Mr. Muldoon." Lex noticed his eyes were bloodshot and she smelled a trace of liquor on his breath. She hoped he would be okay. "Thank you."

"Don't thank me. You _will_ return."

"We're counting on you," Arnold said, and they left.

Now it was just her, Malcolm, Ellie, and Tim in the recreation room.

"They would've stayed with us, if not for Dodgson expecting them up that early in the morning," Malcolm said.

"I know." Lex wondered about the plan. "So what are we doing to do?"

"You'll have to pack lightly or not at all."

"How are we going to put the money away? What about Dr. Grant's itinerary?"

"We'll find a way to do it—even if it means taping it to your leg. You can wear your baggy cargo pants," Malcolm said. "If we bring bags, they'll search them. They may even pat you down; I wouldn't put it past them."

"When you get Mr. Nedry out, are we going to the States together to get Dr. Grant?"

"I haven't figured that out yet, but I have a feeling it will be just you in the States."

Lex nodded, but said nothing.

"Don't worry, by tomorrow—or later today I should say, I'll have it worked out."

"She has to get some rest to prepare for that trip," Ellie said.

"Are you feeling better?" Malcolm asked and he kissed her on the cheek.

"Yes, I am." She kissed him back and smiled at Lex. "You're going to be okay."

Lex saw that Ellie _did_ appear to feel better despite the confrontation with Dodgson. She had unshakable confidence in her voice and Lex needed to hear that.

"Let's get some rest. We'll go the cafeteria meeting as we usually do, and then meet back here for breakfast. I'll prepare a bouquet of flowers for you to bring to John. How does that sound?" Ellie asked her.

"Sounds good enough to me," Lex said. She stretched her arms and gave Ellie a warm hug. "Thank you, Ellie and Dr. Malcolm, for looking out for Timmy and me." She released her and hugged Malcolm. At the door, she waved to them and left to go to her room to catch some hours of sleep. Tim followed after her.

After they left, Malcolm and Ellie sank together on the sofa. They lay in each other's arms, Malcolm's tall frame enveloping Ellie's smaller one, protecting and holding her. They had seen Lex's eyes become glassy from exhaustion and from the anticipation and anxiousness of what lay ahead in a few hours.

"Watch out for her," Ellie whispered.

"I will. Who will watch out for you?" Malcolm asked.

"Ray, Robert, and Gerry and I will be each other's support network while you're gone. Donald is still…you know how he is."

Malcolm nodded. "I'm amazed he even showed up for the meeting."

"It's a good sign I guess…what about you? Who's gonna have your back?"

"Chaos, my sweetheart."

Ellie's laugh echoed in the empty room. She realized she needed to hear something funny that would take her mind off everything. As she calmed down, she looked into Malcolm's dark eyes.

"I love you, Ian."

"I love you too, Ellie."

He pulled her close to him and kissed Ellie for a long time, erasing all her doubts and fears that had been building inside of her. When they parted, he felt her arms squeezing him, holding him tighter. She rested her head on his chest and before long, she was sound asleep. Malcolm rested his chin on her shoulders and peered into the darkness. Finally, sleep came to him and gave him the peace he needed for the upcoming trip.


	9. Guaria Morada

**Guaria Morada**

The following morning was an exact repeat of what had been taking place on Isla Nublar for the past several weeks. Everyone was seated in the cafeteria and waited for Lewis Dodgson to give orders, share news, or embarrass someone from the InGen staff—whatever he felt like doing.

"Today Dr. Malcolm and Lex are going to the mainland to visit John Hammond. That's not an excuse to slack off on your work. Mr. Tembo is going with them to ensure they go and come back."

No one responded.

"Dr. Malcolm, you and Lex are to meet at the helipad no later than twelve noon." He pointed in Ellie's direction. "The same goes for you, Dr. Sattler, and Tim. If you come a few seconds late, the trip is canceled. You'll have your stupid selves to blame for Old Johnny spending another lonely day in the hospital."

Dodgson scanned the faces in front of him. Surprisingly, the InGen staff didn't react. All the life had been sapped from them. They simply glanced at Malcolm and Lex, and then back at Dodgson. They said nothing in response.

The Biosyn team looked from Malcolm to Dodgson, not masking their disapproval. Henry Wu glared at Malcolm as if he knew something was brewing. George Lawala appeared indifferent, and George Baselton and Howard King looked puzzled. Dodgson noticed Sonya Durant shaking her head, as though she disagreed with the idea and Raúl Lopez sent him a questioning glance in Tembo's direction. Roland Tembo sat quietly, saying nothing, but the expression on his face told Dodgson he wasn't pleased about this assignment. Dodgson shrugged. He'd address them shortly.

"That's it for today's announcements. Dr. Harding needs to check up on that sick maiasaur with Mr. Muldoon. Hank's going to accompany them. The rest of you know what you need to do. Good-bye."

The InGen staff left the cafeteria so that only the Biosyn team remained. Dodgson was irritated. His team knew they had to keep watch over the InGen staff. Instead of trailing the InGen staff member they had been assigned to, they simply hung back to see what Dodgson would say.

"What are you sitting around for? You think the InGen idiots are the only ones who have to work on this island?"

"It's not that, Dr. Dodgson," Sonya said. There was a slight hesitation in her voice, as though she knew what would happen if she questioned him. "I just thought—"

"Thought what?" Dodgson asked flatly.

"Well…" Sonya started and glanced at Tembo, who now stood beside her.

"You know what, let's discuss this. The rest of you know where you have to be."

The Biosyn team exited the cafeteria one at a time, since Dodgson made it clear that their presence wasn't welcome. Moments later, only Sonya and Tembo remained with Dodgson.

"I've been thinking about the assignment you gave Roland."

"What about it, Sonya? And hurry up—you're trying my patience. I don't have all damn day to hear what you have to say."

"I should go with him." She looked at Tembo, confirming that they had spoken about the issue earlier.

Tembo gave a curt nod.

Dodgson looked from Sonya to Tembo, and then from Tembo to Sonya. He shook his head, and laughed hysterically. It was a full minute before he regained his composure.

"This is hilarious. I thought you were the famous hunter from Mombassa with no empty space in his trophy room, and now you can't handle two nitwits. I can't believe you need Sonya to come along with you on this assignment."

Tembo gave no indication that he found Sonya's suggestion humorous.

"This isn't about not being man enough to carry out your assignment. The fact is you're sending _only_ me. We agreed hours ago that Dr. Sattler and Hammond's granddaughter are planning something, did we not?"

"We did," Dodgson replied casually.

"And yet, you're sending only one person with that ridiculous mathematician and teenager to go to the mainland."

"So?"

"So it's a bad idea. In order to have complete control over them from the moment they leave the island to go on this so-called visit, we need someone who can constantly watch their every move."

"Are you telling me that you're incompetent, Roland?" Dodgson asked.

"No, I'm saying that another team member should come to ensure that they don't try anything."

Sonya nodded. "Exactly. C'mon, Lew. If I go with him, neither Dr. Malcolm or Lexy—whatever her name is—can try anything. They won't be able to because I'll be standing guard over the teenybopper and Roland will take care of Dr. Doomsday if he tries anything smart."

"I'm getting the job done with one person, there's no reason for me to send two of you," Dodgson said. "Unless you two are trying to go on an undercover date. Don't think I haven't seen you two flirting with each other."

"Are you serious? This has nothing to do with a date!" Sonya sounded exasperated. "You're sending Roland alone because—"

"Because that's my decision."

Dodgson stared at both of them for a long while. When he spoke again, it sounded as if he was trying not to let anger overtake him.

"I gave you this assignment to give you a break, Roland, and so that you wouldn't be here for the InGen staff to gang up on you like they did last time. You should be grateful I'm sending you off the island."

"Why are you even allowing this?" Tembo shot at him. "You know they're up to something and yet, you're giving them this huge window of opportunity. If you're going to crush InGen, then be consistent about it!"

Dodgson slammed his closed fist on the table, shocking Sonya, who inched away from the table. Tembo didn't react.

"First off—_no one_ fucking questions me. Got it? _I_ make the rules around here and _I_ bend and _break_ those rules. When I give you an assignment, that's it. You execute it, no questions asked. You know the deal, Roland—and you too, Sonya."

Sonya nodded hurriedly. Tembo kept his icy stare on Dodgson.

"I shouldn't have to waste precious time going over this—especially not after the demise of that two-faced hacker. You execute my decision, or I make the decision to execute _you_. It's that simple."

Tembo was silent for a moment. When he spoke, he made no attempt to hide the anger in his voice. "Very well. Dr. Dodgson."

Dodgson grinned and stood up. "I'll see you at the helipad before twelve noon."

Sonya watched him leave the cafeteria, and only when she was certain he was gone did she say anything. "He's losing his touch."

Tembo nodded, but said nothing. He had thoughts about Dodgson's behavior and actions, none of which he'd say aloud to anyone. It was better to keep it in his mind than to share with anyone on the team. Sonya pointed out accurately that Dodgson was losing his touch, but Tembo wasn't about to agree aloud or share his sentiments with her. Even so, a reoccurring thought haunted him: _this is the beginning of the end._ Tembo didn't like to think it, but it kept coming back to him. He'd keep it in mind as he carried out the assignment. At the end of the day, although he acted on Dodgson's orders, Tembo still had his eyes on his prize: to hunt the tyrannosaur. That would have to wait. Right now he had to do Dodgson's bidding.

Tembo stood up and approached the double doors with Sonya. Before leaving the cafeteria, he decided to advise her, not only because he liked her, but more so because Dodgson's treatment of his own staff was atrocious. At times like this, Tembo wondered if the conniving man known as Lewis Dodgson had his sanity intact. Dodgson was beyond driven and would push _anyone_ into the ground to achieve his goals. Tembo knew this about him already, and in rare moments, he wondered if the rest of the team questioned Dodgson's sanity. If they did, they didn't say it aloud.

"Word of advice, Sonya."

"What's that?"

"Keep that thought to yourself."

"Which—?"

"You know what I'm talking about," Tembo said.

Without another word, he left the cafeteria. Sonya watched him leave, unsure of what he meant. Didn't Tembo agree with her? It was obvious that Dodgson was letting go of his grip on InGen. Did he mean she shouldn't share her thoughts with anyone on the team? Sonya thought about it, but no answers came to her. Regardless of what was going on today with Tembo, she still had things she had to do. She wasn't going to watch Ellie today since Dodgson had arranged to stay with her and Tim. Instead of being disappointed, she grinned happily, remembering how she destroyed that greenhouse. _Guess I'll find someone else to babysit. _Sonya headed to the control room to see what was going on with George Lawala and Ray Arnold.

**oOo**

After the meeting in the cafeteria, Lex Murphy had returned to the staff lodge. She had taken a shower and dressed. She was going to put a traveling bag together with her belongings and remembered that Ellie and Malcolm had advised against it. It would only arouse Tembo's and Dodgson's suspicions. Lex brushed her hair in her room and hummed to herself. There was a knock on the door.

"Come in," she called.

"It's me." Tim Murphy poked his head in the doorway. "Dr. Sattler and Dr. Malcolm want us to join them for breakfast on the second floor."

Lex nodded. "I'm coming right now."

"Are you worried for today?"

"Kinda, Timmy. I hope this plan works—I think it will."

"I hope Dr. Grant comes back," Tim said.

"You and me both."

"Do you think Grandpa's doing better?"

It had been months since they had last seen their grandfather. He must've made some progress during that time.

"I'm sure he is," Lex said, "the hospital probably put him in lots of therapy programs."

"Make sure you give him a big hug for me."

"I will."

"It'd be funny if he snuck back to the island by himself," Tim said, laughing. "Dr. Dodgson would have a heart attack."

"Yeah, and then _he'd_ be the one to go to the hospital," Lex said, following Tim's suggestion.

"Nah, we could just push him off the docks, and let him swim to the mainland."

Lex giggled. "I like that idea, that's why you're my brother!"

Tim grinned and together they went to the second floor to the kitchen and dining area. The delicious aroma of scrambled eggs, onions, beef sausages, and hash browns pulled them forward. Lex opened the door and saw Ellie Sattler pouring orange juice in four glasses. On the table were four plates piled with food. Ellie turned to her, smiling.

"Come in, Lex. You too, Tim."

Lex and Tim walked in and were greeted by Ian Malcolm.

"Good morning, sleepyheads. Ellie made us breakfast. Time to eat up."

"This is great!" Tim said, sitting down and grabbing a fork.

Lex sat down next to him and eyed the food wearily. She appreciated what Ellie had done, but she didn't share Tim's enthusiasm.

"Are you ready for today?" Malcolm asked her.

Lex nodded. "Yeah, I am."

"Good, we'll go over the plan soon. Take a deep breath and relax. It's going to be fine."

"I guess so."

Malcolm watched Lex, and wondered if the plan was burdensome. He asked her this.

"No, it's okay." Lex shrugged. "I wonder if he knows what we're doing."

"Who? Dr. Dodgson? I doubt it," Malcolm said. "He couldn't tell this morning at the cafeteria. The InGen staff didn't give anything away."

"They were quiet," Ellie said. "I wouldn't worry about it. If Dodgson's staff suspects something, then we need to be concerned about that." She drank some orange juice and set her glass down. "On the other hand, if this plan causes them to fragment, then that's good."

"Why would they split up?" Tim asked.

"If they don't agree on an issue," Ellie said, "or if they're not in favor of what Dodgson's doing, then it would cause friction on the team."

"But they all follow his orders," Tim pointed out. "Look at what they're doing to Dr. Harding. They blame him for the dinosaurs getting sick."

"Just because they all follow his orders, doesn't mean they're on the same page," Malcolm said.

Ellie nodded. "You're right, Tim, they give Gerry and the rest of the park staff a hard time. Still, Ian has a point. They may appear to follow Dodgson's lead, but it doesn't mean they agree with what he's doing. We have to focus on the fact that we've planned something they know nothing about. They can't stop us."

"We're risking a lot," Malcolm added. "But it'll be worth it in the end."

"Do you really believe that?" Tim pressed.

"I do, otherwise we wouldn't be trying. We're counting on your sister and on me to do our parts."

Tim nodded. He seemed satisfied with their answers.

"Ellie, don't you have something to show Lex before we leave?" Malcolm asked.

Ellie nodded. "Are you going to eat anything?" she asked Lex.

Lex stared at the food, wanting to dive in, but found she wasn't hungry. Her nerves gnawed at her, eliminating any appetite she had when she first entered the kitchen. Regardless of how she felt, she didn't want Ellie's efforts to be wasted. Ellie had wanted to start the day right for her and Malcolm by making them breakfast. The least she could do was eat something. Lex reluctantly picked up her fork and started eating her eggs.

"Ian's right, I have to show you something before you leave. After you finish eating, we're taking a trip to my greenhouse."

"We have to leave early."

"You're scheduled to leave Isla Nublar at twelve noon. I'll get you an Ian to the helipad fifteen minutes before."

"Do you really think our plan will work?"

Ellie looked at Lex, wondering if she should be honest about how she felt. At first, she was going to say she didn't think it could possibly work. She didn't want more trouble for the InGen staff, nor did she want to deal with Dodgson's harassment. Since Malcolm was leaving the island with Lex, Dodgson might take advantage of the opportunity to harass her and bully the park staff. Then she caught Malcolm's hard stare which told her not to be negative. He didn't have to say it; she could read the expression on his face. If the adults were negative, how could they expect the kids to be positive? Lex and Tim would pick up on any doubts she had.

"Absolutely," she said, a little forced. "We've got to try something and this just might be the answer."

Lex smiled and ate heartily. Ellie sighed, relieved that she had decided to remain positive for her.

Malcolm finished up his breakfast and a bright grin lit his face. "Can I compliment, I mean, kiss the chef?" he asked, nudging Ellie. "These eggs are delicious."

Tim and Lex looked at each other and then at the adults, trying not to laugh.

"Can you wait until we leave the room to do that?" Tim asked.

His questioned made everyone laugh, and lifted away the tense mood.

**oOo**

Ellie pushed open the door to her greenhouse and held it open for Lex, Tim, and Malcolm to enter. There was more order than before since Ellie had cleaned up some of the area. Three large broken shelves had been moved to the back of the greenhouse. Next to the shelves, two hoses were stacked on each other. There was a pile of dirt, flower petals, flower pot fragments, and broken equipment in the corner. Some of the tables had been pushed against the walls leaving a wide open space in the greenhouse. Ellie pointed at two tables pushed against the far right wall. On these tables were flowers she had been able to salvage with Malcolm's help.

"That's the one you're bringing to your grandfather, Lex."

Lex went to the table and picked up a small pale blue ceramic flower pot. Inside the pot were four lovely flowers. Ellie grew so many types of flora it was hard to keep track of them. This particular flower was different from any she had seen before. Its brilliant shade of purple captured her attention, as well as the unique shape. The center was tuba shaped and the remaining three petals were oblong in shape and curled at the end. Lex sniffed it.

"It doesn't have a fragrance, El. I thought all flowers did."

Lex let Tim sniff the flower, and he noticed the same thing she did. There was no scent. Tim shrugged, unsure of what it meant. Maybe the flower was sick or poisonous?

Ellie smiled. "This flower is an orchard and most orchards have rich scents, but the _guaria morada_ doesn't. Costa Rican tradition says this flower is filled with dreams to be accomplished." She picked up another nearby pot holding the same flower. It had the same shape, save for the colors that were bright fuchsia. "The _guaria morada_ is Costa Rica's national flower."

"When did they name it their national flower?" Tim asked.

"1939; June 15th 1939 to be exact."

"That's interesting," Malcolm said. "I didn't know that. You're very well read on this."

"Naturally, Ian. The flower grows on trees, roofs, and buildings. They use the trees to support themselves, but they're not parasites. And while most flowers gain nutrients from the water, air, and sun, the _guaria morada_ also obtain it from residue stored on tree trunks and dust."

"Dust?" Lex asked incredulously. Whoever heard of a flower, or any plant for that matter, gaining nutrients from dust?

"Yes," Ellie said. "Dust. She's a beautiful flower and can be found on Costa Rican currency. Native Costa Rican traditions prize this flower. They say the _guaria morada_ brings good fortune and induces peace, love, and hope for the future. I thought it was appropriate given the trip you're taking with Ian today. Your grandfather will love them."

At the mention of the trip, Lex's face fell and she placed the exotic plant back on the table.

"What's wrong, Lex?"

"I'm worried about this whole thing…I'm sorry, I just can't stop thinking about it." She looked around the greenhouse, taking a long look at the flower petals on the floor and the wrecked shelves. No matter what Sonya had done, this was still Ellie's greenhouse and Lex was afraid this would be her last time there. "What if we don't come back?"

"Hey, don't talk like that," Malcolm said, taking out Alan Grant's itinerary and a roll of tape. "We're staying positive, okay? No long faces and 'what-if it doesn't work' questions. It's going to work because we're going to _make_ it work, one way or another."

Lex glanced at him, puzzled. Seeing Dr. Malcolm remain optimistic despite everything that had occurred was really strange and uncharacteristic of him. She was used to the brooding pessimistic side he'd shown in the past. She sighed and tried to take on his positive demeanor. She figured once she was on the helicopter that she would feel more confident.

Malcolm opened the paper, showing it to Lex, Tim, and Ellie. "This is the same paper I showed everyone last night. I left a copy for you, Ellie. It lists all the locations and dates of Grant's trip in the States. Lex, put this where Dodgson and Tembo can't find it. You can tape it to your leg or put it in your sock or your sneaker."

Lex removed her sneaker and took the itinerary from Malcolm. She tore off the part that showed where Grant was for this month, so she wouldn't have to carry extra paper. Folding it into tiny square, Lex placed it inside her sneaker with her foot resting over it so it wouldn't make crunching noises when she walked. It was weird, but it was the only thing she could do. She hoped Dodgson wouldn't go as far as to search her from head to toe to see if she concealing anything. She picked up the flower pot that held the purple _guaria morada_.

"I'm also giving Ellie the phone number to the Adventure Inn. That's where I'll be staying. You'll get the number too, Lex. I'll be there for a week, waiting for you to arrive with Dr. Grant," Malcolm said. "The inn is next to the airport, I'll show you before you leave. I also have Ray's direct line in case I need to reach him in the control room, and also his phone in the staff lodge."

"Won't Dr. Dodgson notice our absence? I mean, if everything works, he's going to notice something's not right," Lex pointed out.

"He will," Malcolm said, "and there won't be anything he can do about it."

"I hope I don't disappoint Grandpa or everyone here," Lex said, staring at the flowers.

"You won't. Remember I'm with you for part of this. Don't worry."

There was an awkward silence. Lex looked at Tim, who agreed with Malcolm. Tim hugged her, in an effort to cheer her up.

"It's going to be great, Lex. You're coming back with Dr. Grant."

Ellie mouthed to Malcolm: _are you sure she's going to be fine? _Malcolm nodded and mouthed back _positive._

"Dr. Malcolm…can you give us a minute?" Lex asked, and handed the flower pot to him. "You too, Tim, I need to speak to El."

"Sure. I'll meet you in the jeep," Malcolm said. "When you do, we'll go over our plan."

"Okay." Lex was curious about 'the plan'. She knew there was the plan to get her off the island, and then there was the _other_ plan that had to be formed since Malcolm found out Tembo was accompanying them. That must be the one he was talking about. "Thanks. Can I have the tape?"

"Sure thing." Malcolm gave her the tape and left the greenhouse with the flower pot. Tim followed after him. Lex reached into her pocket and gave Ellie a folded letter.

"Read this after we leave, El."

"Are you sure you don't want me to read it now?"

Lex bit her low lip as if she were about to say something. "Yeah, you can read it afterwards."

"Alright." Ellie took the letter and put it in her pocket. "Ready to go?"

Lex nodded and took one last look around the greenhouse.

Ellie embraced her in a warm hug, and squeezed her firmly. "Walk with your head held high, Lex."

**oOo**

Dodgson and Tembo arrived at the helipad at a quarter to noon. The helicopter's blades whirled softly in the air, sending a strong breeze in every direction and causing the surrounding water to swish around. Despite the noise in the background, Dodgson went over The Plan with Tembo. Go to the CIMA hospital with the annoying mathematician, Dr. Malcolm, and Hammond's brat, Alexis, to visit the old geezer, Hammond. Come right back. Tembo would be the escort for the occasion, the chaperone. _It's an easy assignment. _Dodgson thought. _Piece of cake._ If anything, he figured Tembo would be bored by the banality of it, so he had to remind him of the underlying purpose.

"Remember," Dodgson said, as he turned his attention to the gas-powered jeep heading towards them, "I'm sending you off because of the incident that occurred last time. Knock yourself out squashing their plans! I'm telling you, we'll have the last laugh."

Tembo watched Ellie park the jeep several yards away. "I'm counting on it."

"I expect to hear an exciting report from you in a few hours."

Tembo smirked. "When you put it that way, Dr. Dodgson—using this outing as a way to trample over InGen—it sounds more appealing." He still had a strange inkling that Dodgson was doing something he'd regret later on, but for now, he'd go along with it. He looked forward to putting an end to whatever was InGen planning. "I'm sure I'll have quite the story to tell. I'll leave it up to those two to give an entertaining performance."

"Excellent. I knew you'd see it my way."

"Absolutely." Tembo watched as Malcolm, Ellie, and Hammond's grandchildren exited from the vehicle.

Dodgson kept his eyes on the jeep and then asked Tembo: "Did you bring it with you?"

Tembo nodded silently as he barely lifted up his jacket. It was out of view of the approaching group. Only Dodgson was able to see the small caliber handgun that Tembo had cleverly concealed in a strong-side belt holster. When Tembo let his jacket down, the holster couldn't be seen or detected.

"Good. Don't let them see it. We mean business, and you only bring it out when necessary. They're not pulling anything out of their asses this time."

"Unless they want to get shot," Tembo said, smirking.

Ellie, Malcolm, Lex, and Tim joined them at the helipad.

"Good afternoon, everyone," Dodgson said. "Let's go over this again, shall we? This is for Dr. Malcolm and Lex. Mr. Tembo knows the drill and will strictly enforce it. You're leaving this island and coming back with him. Is that clear?"

"Crystal," Malcolm said.

"You're there only for an hour. I don't care if Grandpa is asleep for fifty-nine minutes, and then decides to wake up so you can speak with him for one minute. Once the hour is up, your visit's done. Understood, Alexis?"

Lex nodded.

"The sooner you see Grandpa Hammond, the sooner you return here. No second stops along the way. No shopping, no dining out, none of that bullshit. Questions?"

"None," Malcolm said.

"Good." Dodgson glanced at Tembo and then pointed at Lex. "Search her."

Tembo took a step in Lex's direction and stopped immediately.

"What? No way!" Ellie stood in front of Lex, preventing Tembo from carrying out Dodgson's orders. "Do you have any decency? She's just a kid!"

"She's an adolescent." Dodgson's voice was wooden. "I know she thinks she's getting over on me, as do you and Dr. Malcolm with whatever crap you all dreamed up. This is just a precaution." Turning to Tembo again, he repeated the order. "Don't stop until you find something. Pat her down and see what she's hiding."

"I said NO!" Ellie was adamant.

Dodgson looked from Tembo to Ellie, and then to Lex, who looked as though she was trying to remain calm. "Fine, Dr. Sattler, since you insist…why don't _you _do the honor and search Alexis?"

Sighing, Ellie executed a brief pat-down on Lex. "I know you don't like it, but it'll be over fast." Ellie made sure to check her arms, legs, abdomen, and back. Moments later, she finished. "Done."

"Really?" Dodgson was skeptical. "You found nothing?"

"She has nothing on her. Do you want to search me too?" Malcolm asked, exasperated.

Dodgson waved him away, as though he wasn't the least bit concerned about anything Malcolm might be carrying. Tembo obviously thought differently because he gestured for Malcolm to come forward.

"You can never be too careful, Dr. Dodgson," Tembo said, as he patted down Malcolm.

"This is ridiculous!" Ellie said, shaking her head.

Malcolm shrugged while Tembo checked to make sure he wasn't carrying anything in his pockets. "Don't you get it, Ellie? They have no control—they only have their _illusion_ of control."

Dodgson's face twisted in annoyance. "What the fuck are you babbling about now?"

"Your, ah, illusion of control over InGen," he gestured to himself and Lex, "and over us is quite amusing."

"Yeah…'amusing'," Dodgson snarled. "Shut your pie hole before I change my mind."

"He's clean," Tembo said. "Let him run his mouth, Dr. Dodgson. It's what he does best."

"Interesting…you both have nothing on you," Dodgson said, never taking his eyes off of Malcolm and Lex, and ignoring Tembo. "I don't believe that."

"Nothing except a silver bracelet," Ellie shot back. She pointed at the bracelet adorning Lex's right wrist.

"Very sweet." Dodgson turned to Lex, the empty expression on his face showed he had no compassion. "Take off the bracelet, Alexis. No jewelry is to be worn on this trip."

"How come?" Lex's eyes widened. "Dr. Malcolm gave it to me for my sixteenth birthday."

"You want to play difficult and I can play the same game." Dodgson snatched Lex's right wrist and yanked off the bracelet, causing the chain to break. He tossed it into the water surrounding the helipad. "Don't make a long face; he'll get you another one. Thank your beloved 'El' for being a fucking smart-ass."

Lex said nothing. Malcolm placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "Don't worry, it's just a bracelet."

"We've wasted enough time on this silly shit. Dr. Sattler and Tim; say your good-byes and get in the jeep—and don't even think of leaving the helipad on your own."

Tim turned to Lex and gave her a big hug. He wouldn't let go for a while, and when he did, he saw sheer determination in his older sister's eyes. _You got this,_ he mouthed, _you know you do_. _Pretend like you already came back with Dr. Grant._ Lex nodded.

"Stop with the secret messages," Dodgson demanded. "You jerks must think I'm really dumb."

Tim ignored him and waved good-bye to Malcolm, who nodded in return. He went back to the jeep and looked over his shoulder. Dodgson and Tembo waited impatiently for Ellie, while Lex and Malcolm remained expressionless. Tim got in the backseat of the jeep and willed himself to remain calm. _This plan is going to work,_ he repeated in his mind.

At the helipad, Ellie looked from Lex to Malcolm and back to Lex again. "Tell your grandfather I say hello." She gently squeezed Lex's shoulder affectionately. "You'll be okay, hon."

She took a step towards Malcolm and kissed him briefly. Before Dodgson or Tembo could make a stink about it, she went back to the jeep. Ellie turned around once to wave good-bye to Lex and Malcolm. They didn't appear to notice her because they were listening to whatever Dodgson and Tembo were telling them. Crossing her fingers, Ellie got in the backseat with Tim, and opened up the letter that Lex had given her earlier. Lex had asked her to read it after they left, but now was a good time to read the note. It was folded into a tiny square and she took her time unfolding it.

_Dear El,_

_I'm writing this letter to you because I don't know how to say it to you, face to face. I've always been better at writing my feelings on paper. Timmy's the same way and he keeps a journal in the back pages of his sketchbook. He lets no one see or read it except me._

_If this letter seems out of order, it's because I started writing it the same night Mr. Muldoon and Mr. Nedry returned to the island. I finally finished it last night, after I found out Dr. Malcolm wants us to get Dr. Grant to come back. I know you were trying to protect me and Tim when Mr. Arnold told you to take us into the park. I tuned you out that night because I was upset. I'm very sorry for disrespecting you that night. You've always been like a big sister to me and sometimes like a Mom to me and Tim. That night was the first and only time I felt distant from you. _

_Right after we first visited the park, you treated us as if we were always in your life and I don't think I ever told you how much that means to me. It was years ago when we first met you, but it seems like only yesterday. Ever since then, you and the park staff have been really nice to us. Tim feels the same way, even if he doesn't openly say it. You, Dr. Malcolm, Dr. Grant, Mr. Arnold, Dr. Harding, and Mr. Muldoon treat us like we actually matter—more than our parents. (I'd include Dr. Wu, but we know where he stands now.) You celebrated my sixteenth birthday when my parents didn't even bother to send a card or make a phone call. It's like they dropped us on Grandpa's lap and forgot that we exist. Maybe they expect him to do the rest of the work. I don't know. What I do know is that Grandpa is lucky to have good people on staff. I don't think he always appreciates them as much as he should._

_Now I'm going with Dr. Malcolm tomorrow to the mainland and I'm hoping our plan works. I'm afraid it won't, but I keep thinking it will, if Dr. Grant decides to come back. I hope he does. Even if he's upset with you for being with Dr. Malcolm, he has to know that we need him here and that you still care about him. When I finally see him, I'll let him know this. I hope I don't disappoint you, Timmy, Mr. Muldoon, Mr. Arnold, Dr. Harding, and Dr. Malcolm. Most of all, I hope I don't disappoint Grandpa._

_Lots of Love, Lex _

Ellie set the letter down and read it again. Lex's familiar curly handwriting made her smile. A solitary tear pattered down to the page, blurring the squiggled heart Lex had drawn next Ellie's shortened name. _You won't disappoint me, Lex,_ she thought. _I'm so proud of you._ The first step of the plan had been set in motion. Now they just needed to return safely and quickly.

"He's coming back, Dr. Sattler," Tim whispered. "They just went in the helicopter."

Ellie looked up sharply. "They did?"

Tim nodded. "I just saw Mr. Tembo go in after Dr. Malcolm. Lex went in first."

Dodgson was approaching the jeep in a hurried manner. Ellie quickly folded the letter and shoved it in her pocket. Taking a deep breath, she laid a hand on Tim's shoulder.

"If it goes according to plan, they'll return in a week with Alan and Mr. Nedry."

"Do you think Dr. Dodgson will be pissed off?"

Ellie laughed. "Of course, and he can get mad all he likes. He's _not_ taking over your grandfather's company no matter what he says."

They grew quiet when Dodgson yanked open the front door and climbed into the jeep. Turning on the ignition, Dodgson glanced in the rearview mirror at Tim and Ellie.

"So I'm your fucking chauffeur now? Move up front, Tim."

Ellie shook her head. "Stay where you are."

Tim watched as Ellie left the backseat and got in the front passenger side.

"Even better, the lovely Dr. Sattler is sitting close to me," Dodgson said, caressing her leg.

Ellie snatched Dodgson's hand and threw it on the steering wheel. She kept her eyes straight ahead, refusing to look in Dodgson's direction.

"You'll warm up eventually, Dr. Sattler. Time to play babysitter."

He noticed Tim looking out of the window to watch as the helicopter lifted into the air. _Stupid kids…stupid InGen. _Slamming the gas, Dodgson exited from the helipad and drove towards the park.

**oOo**

Gerry Harding knelt down next to the sick maiasaur. He had been working on the same maiasaur for weeks. No matter what he did, nothing seemed to help her. She was dying slowly and there was nothing he could do about it.

Next to him, Robert Muldoon stood guard making sure the dinosaur remained in her tranquilized state. The maiasaurs were known to be docile creatures, so Muldoon didn't have to use a heavy tranquilizer on her.

"Anything new?" Muldoon asked him.

Harding shook his head. "She's getting worse everyday."

"How's her breathing patterns?"

"Shallow. She's struggling to get air in her lungs." Harding rested his hand on the maiasaur's head. "This is torture for her. I'm almost tempted to put her out of her misery."

"She's getting worse because you're not doing anything to help her," Henry Wu snapped. He was in the paddock standing guard over Harding and Muldoon to make sure they got the job done. "And don't even think of putting her to sleep, just so you can wash your hands clean of her."

Muldoon glared at him. He was about to go off on Wu when he saw Harding shaking his head. _Don't waste your time on him, _Harding mouthed. Muldoon shrugged. He went back to checking out the maiasaur and then looked up when he heard the sound of a helicopter flying overhead. Harding must've heard it too because he looked up a moment after Muldoon did. Both men watched the helicopter fly over the island and exchanged a knowing glance.

"You've never seen a helicopter before?" Wu asked. "Get to work before Dr. Dodgson finds out your negligence killed her." He turned his attention to the dinosaur.

Harding sighed. "I can't wait for them to return," he muttered.

Despite his usual serious demeanor, Muldoon smirked in Wu's direction. _Your time is limited…better enjoy your last days on this island._

**oOo**

Lex sat next to Malcolm in the helicopter. Now that they were on their way to the mainland, she felt more confident about their plan. _Phase One_, as she liked to call it, had been accomplished. She had managed to leave the island with Malcolm. Soon it would be time for _Phase Two_. Tembo sat across from them, glaring the entire time as they flew towards Costa Rica.

"Dr. Malcolm?" Lex asked.

"Yes?"

"Can we talk about chaos theory?"

Malcolm noticed the mischievous gleam in Lex's eyes. They were on the same wavelength.

"Absolutely, what would you like to discuss? Nonlinear equations? Strange attractors? Phase space?"

"How about all of the above?"

"How about you knock it off?" Tembo ordered.

Malcolm and Lex glanced at him and then went back to talking, as though he hadn't said anything.

"I don't have my papers present with me; otherwise, I'd have you solve some equations. This is serious stuff, Lex, I kid you not. Chaos theory isn't 'a' plus 'b' equals 'c' and that's it, the end. It's complicated like the weather system."

"And unpredictable?"

"Exactly."

"Maybe Grandpa would like to discuss it too?"

Malcolm grinned. "I bet he would. Your grandfather isn't enthusiastic about my field, but this time I'm sure I'll be able to convince him."

"I'll help you convince him!" Lex said, cheerfully.

"That would be great, Lex. In fact, Mr. Tembo is welcome to join our discussion too if he likes." Malcolm gestured to Tembo. "He might even enjoy it."

"Don't waste your breath," Tembo snapped.

"Ah, so there we have it. Mathematics is too difficult a concept for him to comprehend, Lex, as it is for many people. But you," Malcolm nodded knowingly, "_you_ have a firm grasp on it. I'm impressed."

Tembo sighed, annoyed. What in the world was he thinking when he allowed Dodgson to talk him into, or rather, _bully_ him, into taking this assignment? Lex and Malcolm yammered back and forth about the butterfly effect. He'd let them talk for now. Let them believe they were distracting him. _I'm onto both of you; don't think I'm not,_ Tembo thought, cracking his knuckles. He peered outside the window. The blue sea flashed beneath them. They'd be in Costa Rica for an hour, and as soon as they were finished with Hammond's visit, they would head straight back to Isla Nublar. It couldn't happen fast enough for Tembo.

**oOo**

They arrived at the CIMA hospital located in San José an hour and a half later. Lex carried the flower pot and Malcolm stayed by her side. Tembo remained close on their heels as they walked down the hallway past an information desk. Malcolm stopped and went back to ask the receptionist John Hammond's room number. He remembered where Hammond was, since he had visited with the park staff months ago. Then again, Hammond might've been moved to another room. The truth was Malcolm was buying time.

"He's on the second floor," she replied. Her English was laced with a strong Costa Rican accent. "Room two-thirty-five."

"They changed his room?" Malcolm pretended to be surprised.

"Sí, you can ask the nurses on that floor."

"Thank you very much."

The receptionist nodded and answered the ringing phone on her desk. Malcolm turned around to find Tembo face to face with him. Lex was watching them.  
"He's on the second floor." Malcolm took a step back to put some distance between him and Tembo.

"You should've known that before we came in, Dr. Malcolm," Tembo said. "You're cutting into your visit time, but that's not my problem."

"I was just making sure."

"You're wasting time asking about things you should know about. It just means you have less time for you to see Hammond."

"It doesn't hurt to be certain," Malcolm said, matter-of-factually.

"Don't get smart."

"I'm not—"

"I have to use the bathroom," Lex interrupted. "Can I go before we see my grandfather?" She pointed down the hallway. "There's one down there, we passed it by when we first came in the hospital."

Tembo turned to face her. "You should've used it before boarding the helicopter."

"I have to go now."

"No. Hold it or urinate on yourself, I couldn't care less."

Malcolm interceded. "When you gotta go, you gotta go. Just let her use the restroom."

Tembo stared at Lex, and ignored Malcolm. "Why didn't you go before?"

"Because I didn't have to." Lex looked him directly in the eye, refusing to be intimidated.

"That's not my problem. You didn't ask Dr. Dodgson if you could take a trip to the mainland just so you could use the bathroom. If that's what you wanted, then you should've told him." Tembo almost laughed when he saw Lex's exasperated expression. "Just so you know, a bathroom break cuts even more time away from the hour set aside for you to see your grandfather." He glanced at his watch. "You and Dr. Malcolm have already wasted ten minutes of your visit time. If you want to waste another ten minutes, be my guest."

"That's not fair!" Lex said, angrily. "The hour should count when I first see my grandfather, not _before_."

"I don't make the rules, little girl," Tembo said. "I enforce them."

Malcolm had heard enough. "Look, let her go, okay? If it was me asking to use the restroom, that's one thing. She's a lady, show some respect."

Tembo blinked, shocked at Malcolm's words. "Fine then. I'm letting you go _only _because you're a _lady. _Hurry up and don't spend all afternoon applying your make-up."

Before Tembo could change his mind or Malcolm could say anything else, Lex hurried down the hallway, still carrying the potted _guaria morada_.

**oOo**

Lex turned around once and saw Tembo and Malcolm waiting in the open reception area. Tembo's sharp eyes bore into her back like lasers. Malcolm maintained a neutral expression. There was nothing in his face that expressed he knew what Lex was doing. She had asked earlier than originally planned. Malcolm didn't seem to mind and he was probably glad that she was getting it over with.

Now she had to find a security guard. The sooner she found one, the better for both her and Malcolm. Lex looked up and down the hall and made a right turn into another long hallway. The hospital was like a labyrinth. For some reason, it seemed larger than the last time she had visited her grandfather. Lex figured if she came more often to visit him, then she would be able to find any place in it with her eyes closed. There was another reception area where nurses were chatting in Spanish and English.

"Excuse me," she said. "Do you know where security is?"

One nurse turned to her and pointed in the opposite direction. "Go down this hallway, make a left turn. At the end of the corridor is the hospital's security booth."

"Thank you."

Lex followed the nurse's directions and minutes later, she found the security booth. She knocked on the door and waited. Through the glass, she could see a burly security guard sitting in a swiveling chair watching the monitors. Lex saw one monitor with Malcolm's and Tembo's images. People were walking past them. It appeared as though they had moved from the spot where she had left them. Malcolm's hands were shoved in his pockets, but otherwise, he was fine. She could tell Tembo was impatient from the grim expression on his face. _Perfect, _she thought.

She knocked again. The guard glanced at her and then rose from his chair. The door opened and he towered over her. Lex licked her dry lips and felt her heart skip three beats.

This was it.

She had only one chance to make this work. The guard asked her a question in Spanish. She shook her head to indicate that she didn't understand what he said.

"How may I help you?" He asked again, this time in English. "Is there a problem?"

She thought of Ellie, Tim, and the park staff. She thought of seeing Grant again, and of her grandfather coming back to the island. She thought of Malcolm waiting in the reception area for her to return. He was counting on her. They all were. She pushed herself to speak up, her voice slightly shaky at first, and then firm.

"There's a bald man up front…he's been following me ever since I came into the hospital with my uncle….he might have a gun on him…."

**oOo**

"We could've waited for her at the cafeteria," Malcolm said. "She'll be back soon."

"What'd she do, drink an entire carton of orange juice for breakfast?" Tembo asked, scornfully. "Or is she watering that stupid plant?"

"I choose C. None of the above."

"You think this is funny, Dr. Malcolm?"

Malcolm didn't answer and he leaned forward, hoping to see Lex come around the corner at any moment. When Lex didn't return after five minutes, Tembo made him go to the front lobby of the hospital, near the sliding entrance doors. Patients and their families walked in and out the building, some glanced at them, curious to see if anything was going on. No one spoke to them.

"As soon as she comes back, we're heading straight back to Isla Nublar. You can rack your brains to find another way to get off the island."

"So you think this is a scheme we cooked up?" Malcolm asked, nonchalantly.

"I don't think so," Tembo snapped. "I _know_ so. It's your problem, that brat's problem, and Mr. Hammond's problem if you're never allowed to leave the island again. Dr. Dodgson will hear about your attempted escape. I have a good mind to drag you off somewhere and shoot you while Lex watches. Then she can return to the island and warn the rest of your fellow InGen staff what happens when you take advantage of Dr. Dodgson's kindness."

Malcolm stared outside the front doors of the hospital. "'Kindness' is a word Dodgson has never had any association with. I doubt he knows the meaning."

"I'll make him aware of your sentiments."

"He already knows, but feel free to elaborate and exaggerate."

"You can be the one to do the honors, Dr. Malcolm. Let her know that seeing her grandfather is out of the question after she decided to take her sweet time and roam around the hospital." Tembo gestured to the open lobby and corridors that branched off in different directions. "Here she comes now; break the news gently to her."

Malcolm turned around in time to see Lex walking towards them. The _guaria morada_ bobbed gently in the ceramic pot. Behind her were two security guards. Malcolm felt as though his heart had sprouted legs and jumped on a pogo-stick.

**oOo**

Every step brought her closer to them.

Lex locked eyes with Malcolm.

The security guards' footsteps sounded like thunder behind her. They were intimidating, but they represented safety. _I've done nothing wrong, _she thought, _so there's nothing to worry about._ She saw Malcolm watching her and Tembo sneering at her. She stopped in her tracks several feet away from the entrance of the hospital and pointed at Tembo.

"The bald man, he's the one threatening me and my uncle."

**oOo**

Tembo's gloating sneer abruptly changed to a shocked and angry scowl. In a flash, both security guards seized Tembo and forced him against the wall. One guard twisted his arms behind his back.

"GET OFF ME! WHAT THE HELL?"

"I think he has a gun on him," Lex said, as she backed away. "He said he'd shoot me when my uncle asked him to stop following us."

Malcolm went to stand by Lex's side. "Thank God, you're okay…I was wondering when you'd come back," he whispered.

Lex nodded. "I'll tell you about it later."

Tembo thrashed in the guards' grip and tried to kick free. He only succeeded in making it worse for himself as one guard handcuffed him and slammed him against the wall. The more he struggled, the rougher the guards treated him.

"I did nothing—" His voice rose to furious shout. "THAT GIRL IS A LIAR! I—"

The first guard (whom Lex had spoken with) did a thorough pat-down search. It was far more aggressive than the search Tembo had executed on Malcolm earlier. The guard froze for a moment when he felt the strong-side belt holster, and he immediately pulled out a small caliber handgun.

"What were you planning on doing with this, Señor?"

Tembo's eyes widened and he glared furiously at Lex and Malcolm, who watched impassively. Three more security guards rushed to the front lobby. By now it was creating a scene as patients, families, nurses, doctors, and other hospital staff stopped to stare.

"If you won't answer to me, then you'll answer to the police when they take you into custody. You can tell them why you were harassing two patrons."

"I WASN'T—"

"And you can explain to them why you'd carry a firearm into a hospital."

"You have the WRONG MAN!" Tembo fought with everything he had to free himself from the guards and handcuffs. He squirmed and twisted; it only made the guards tighten their hold on him. "I always carry that gun for protection!" he protested.

None of the guards were moved by Tembo's words. The two guards that had accompanied Lex grabbed his upper arms, and forcefully removed him from the area. The entire time Tembo looked over his shoulder at Malcolm and Lex, who hadn't budged during the entire scene. A moment later, the guards turned a corner and Tembo vanished from their sight. The three remaining guards came over to Malcolm and Lex.

"We just have some questions to ask you and then you'll be on your way," a third guard told them. People were still scattered in the hallway watching to see what would happen next. "_You people can leave_," he said in Spanish. "_It's over now_."

"Do you need a statement from us?" Malcolm asked.

"Yes, a brief one to give the authorities when they arrive. They should be here any minute."

Malcolm nodded. "It's like my niece told you. We came to the hospital to visit her grandfather and he followed us into the hospital from the streets. He mentioned that he had a gun and that he wouldn't hesitate to use it on either of us. He never showed it to us, so we didn't know if he was bluffing or not."

"Even if he was bluffing and had no gun on him, he threatened you," the guard told them. "You made the smart decision to stay in the hospital and alert security." He gestured to Lex. "Is there anything else you want to tell us or that we need to know?"

"Will he go to jail?"

"Most likely, yes."

"How long will he stay there?" She hoped she didn't sound too excited.

"Depends on what the courts say. He'll definitely spend the night there."

Malcolm nodded. Even if Tembo was locked up for only one night, it gave him and Lex more than enough time to carry out the rest of their plan. During that time, they could visit Hammond, catch dinner, buy plane tickets for Lex to go to the States, and do anything else they needed to.

"I guess that wraps it up," the guard said. "Enjoy your visit with your grandfather. If you have any further problems, don't hesitate to let us know." His walkie-talkie crackled and he removed it from his belt. He held a brief conversation in Spanish over the walkie-talkie, and then turned to Lex and Malcolm. "The head of security says if you go to the cafeteria with your grandfather he'll take care of it. Tell the cafeteria workers that it's Officer Morales' treat. We're sorry you had to deal with that_ cabrón_."

"Thank you," Malcolm said. "Ah, we're going to visit our patient now. Everything's done?"

"Sí." He nodded politely. "Have a pleasant afternoon."

"Same to you."

**oOo**

Lex waited until the elevator doors closed. As soon as they started their ascent to the second floor, she busted out laughing. Soon Malcolm was laughing with her and shaking his head. They were the only ones in the elevator which was a good thing. If anyone else had shared the same space with them, they would've wondered what was so funny.

"That was exciting, Dr. Malcolm!" Lex tried to contain herself. "I gotta tell Timmy about it when I come back."

"That may not be for awhile."

"I know." Lex gently touched the flowers, and then smiled at Malcolm. "You were right."

Malcolm grinned. "Aren't I always?"

"You said in the jeep on the way to the helipad that he might carry a gun—and then he actually _did _carry a gun."

"He did himself in…but even if he didn't have it, telling security that a crazy man is waving around a gun in the hospital's front lobby would've gotten their attention. There's no way they'd allow him to walk around the hospital carrying on, nor would they allow some whacko to harass visitors coming in to see relatives."

The elevator beeped and the doors opened. They got off on the second floor.

"So we're one step ahead?" Lex asked.

"We definitely are. We still have to get you on an airplane to the States before the day's over. I'll take the funds from your grandfather's emergency account."

They walked past several rooms. The numbers on the left side of the hallway were odd and kept going up, so they knew they were on the right path.

"Do you know where they will take him? The guard said he might go to jail."

Malcolm shrugged. "Don't worry about it. He's gone right now and we can take care of our business."

Moments later, they reached Hammond's room. They were about to step inside when they realized the room was empty. Peering in, Malcolm noticed the new room was bigger and brighter. Then he realized this wasn't a "new" room. Malcolm and the park staff, along with Tim and Lex, had visited Hammond in this room before.

The room held two patients, but the adjacent bed was empty. Hammond's side faced the window, allowing sunlight to shine through and brighten up the room. He had a lovely view of the courtyard. Even so, finding the empty room was startling. Lex saw that the top portion of his bed was adjusted upward, and the bed sheets were folded neatly.

Everything seemed to be in order, but where was John Hammond?

"Dr. Malcolm? Lex? My eyes must be fooling me…but is it actually you?"

They spun around when they heard the familiar voice. Hammond approached them and to their amazement, he was _walking_! He wasn't walking completely on his own, as he pushed the rolling walker in front of him. Hammond didn't seem to need the assistance as his gait was firm. He walked a little faster to reach them, smiling the entire time. Lex gave Malcolm the flowers and rushed over to give her grandfather a warm hug.

"You're walking, Grandpa! I can't wait to tell Timmy and everyone else!"

She walked with him back to his room and gestured him to enter first. Before entering the room, Hammond smiled at Malcolm.

"I see you brought along my favorite friend, Lex."

"You know Dr. Malcolm loves seeing you."

"The question is does John like seeing me?" Malcolm joked.

They followed him into the room. Hammond sat on his bed and kept the walker near him.

"Wow, this is quite the surprise," Hammond said, wiping his forehead, as though his walk had taken a lot of energy. "I haven't seen any of you in months."

Malcolm nodded. "It's been awhile. I see your speech has greatly improved."

"I have the rehab program to thank for that."

Hammond was definitely speaking more than he had last time. The first visit he hadn't been able to speak. During the second visit, Hammond had spoken slowly and even noticed who was present and absent. Now he seemed to have gained more control of his speech.

Lex took the flowers from Malcolm and placed them on the window sill. She threw her arms around Hammond again, thrilled to see him after all this time.

"I missed you, Grandpa!"

He slowly put his arm around Lex's shoulder. "I've missed you too, Lex."

"How's everything for you?" Malcolm asked.

Hammond waved his hand. "It's okay."

"Just 'okay'? Not fantastic?"

Hammond nodded and released Lex. "I'm here and not on my island. What did you expect my answer to be, Dr. Malcolm?" He laughed gently. "The rehab program is outstanding, but I miss my park."

Lex took the flowers off the window sill to show him.

"El wanted you to have this. Do you know which flowers these are?"

Hammond shook his head. He reached for the flower pot and Lex gave it to him. It nearly slipped through his fingers and he caught it in time with Lex's help.

"My hands are still a little weak," Hammond said, and then tapped his legs. "The legs seem to heal first before the hands. That's what the doctors explained to me."

"That's okay, Grandpa," Lex said, as she placed them on the window sill again. "They're for you."

"You're doing remarkable," Malcolm said. "We can speak with the doctor about your progress while we're here—here she is."

Dr. Calderon came into the room and greeted everyone with a warm smile. "Long time no see," she said, shaking Malcolm's hand. "When was the last time you were here, a month ago?"

"It's been more than that."

Dr. Calderon nodded. "It's wonderful that you both came to see him."

"This is Lex, his granddaughter," Malcolm said, pointing at Lex, who sat on the bed next to Hammond. "Lex, this is Dr. Calderon, she's been working with your grandfather."

"Those are beautiful flowers you brought for him…_guaria morada_." Dr. Calderon winked knowingly.

"You know what they are?" Lex asked.

"Yes, we sell them in the gift shop. They're a lovely gift for patients. You grew your own which is even better."

"Thanks!" Lex smiled at the doctor. "El grew them just for you," she told Hammond.

"His speech has really improved," Malcolm said.

"It's definitely coming back. He has speech and occupational therapy twice a week on Tuesdays and Thursdays and physical therapy Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays." Dr. Calderon picked up the medical file attached to the bed and showed Malcolm. "Saturdays and Sundays are the only times he's not in therapy. He's making wonderful progress."

"He almost dropped the pot holding the flowers. Is that a bad sign?"

"It's normal that some things come along slower than others, such as his hands. I'll let the occupational therapist know. Out of all the patients on this floor, he has the strongest will to make a full recovery. He started using the walker three months ago." She pointed at the walker situated next to Hammond's bed. "Before that, he used the wheelchair. He's been taking physical therapy since he came to the hospital to help him gain full recovery. Twice a week, he goes out to the courtyard, but most times he stays on this floor."

"Does he use the walker often?" Malcolm asked, concerned. "Last time we were here, we took him to the courtyard in the wheelchair."

"It took some time to completely wean him off the wheelchair," Dr. Calderon explained. "Ever since then he's been using the walker. We insist that he use the walker in order for him to gain confidence in walking again, and as you can see, he's really taken off."

Malcolm stood over the foot of the bed. "Soon you'll be running around, John. You'll make the doctors crazy just like I drive you up the wall."

Lex laughed and squeezed her grandfather's hand.

"I saw him." Hammond tried to form the name on his tongue. He frowned, frustrated that the name wouldn't come to him. "He was here…you know?"

Malcolm was confused. "Who did you see?"

Dr. Calderon put back Hammond's medical file. "He saw a prisoner that was brought in a couple weeks ago. That's what he's telling you."

"How do you know it was a prisoner?

"Two cops brought him over." She paused. "It's not unusual to have a prisoner brought in from the detention center for medical treatment. I don't like the way they bring them in restraints, especially when it's pregnant women. It's not right, but they do that to all of the prisoners regardless of their condition."

Malcolm had a sinking feeling that Hammond and Dr. Calderon had unintentionally confirmed what Tembo had told the park staff during his interrogation. "How was this prisoner's condition?"

She shook her head. "He had been severely beaten and you could tell they did nothing to help him in the detention center. The cop who transported him didn't want him to get help. He even had confrontations with nurses on my staff, when they explained the prisoner would have to stay overnight for extended treatment. This isn't the first time we had difficulty with that cop."

"Do you remember his name?" Malcolm asked.

Dr. Calderon thought for a moment. "I think it's 'Contreras'. Every time he's here he's aggressive with his prisoners and our staff. Anyway, the prisoner is probably doing better now. We took care of him, that's our job."

"I take it's difficult for the doctors to treat the patient in that situation," Malcolm observed.

"It is," Dr. Calderon said. "We see the person as our patient, the cops see it as the prisoner they have to constantly guard over. It's very awkward."

Lex listened as she held Hammond's hand. Hammond was also listening and paid close attention to the exchange between Malcolm and Dr. Calderon.

"Where is this detention center located?"

"In downtown San José, not too far from here."

Malcolm nodded. He was completely relieved. He got the information he needed without having to scavenge for it. Gennaro had given him some info, and Dr. Calderon confirmed it. He switched the topic back to Hammond.

"So John is doing better? Does he have a discharge date?"

"Not yet, but we'll definitely let you know. I'm estimating within two months he can return home. We're aiming for one hundred percent recovery with John."

Malcolm was satisfied with the efforts to help Hammond. "You take his rehabilitation seriously, that's a great thing."

"Absolutely. We have his contact info on file and will let you know when we have a discharge plan for him."

"Thank you."

"Your welcome. I have to continue my rounds and visit the rest of the patients on the floor. Good seeing you again, Dr. Malcolm, and nice meeting you, Lex." Dr. Calderon shook Malcolm's hand again. "Keep up the excellent work, John." She smiled and then left the room.

"So John, we hear all this spectacular news about you running all over the hallways and sliding down the banisters," Malcolm said, grinning. "How about we take you out to the courtyard for some fresh air?"

"I was outside before. I had come in from the courtyard when you and Lex arrived at my room." Hammond pointed at the window where sunlight streamed in.

"You were?"

"I go out to the courtyard more than you come to visit!" Hammond laughed.

"Great way to guilt trip us, John," Malcolm said. "How about we go to the cafeteria?"

Lex brought the walker to Hammond, who stood up on his own. "C'mon, Grandpa, we haven't eaten a meal together in forever."

**oOo**

Malcolm sat across from Lex and Hammond in the hospital's cafeteria. They were surrounded by hospital staff and visitors, some were leaving and some were coming in. Malcolm had explained to the cashier that Officer Morales would pick up the check and from there they selected their food. Lex brought a cheeseburger, fries, and soft drink, while Malcolm was content with a vanilla milkshake. Hammond selected a Caesar salad. They ate their lunch and made small talk about the various programs the hospital offered for stroke recovery. Then Hammond asked the question that Malcolm and Lex had been dreading—and avoiding.

"How're things on my island?"

"Things are good, Grandpa. Everyone misses you."

_You saved the day, Lex, _Malcolm thought. He decided to let her do the talking.

"Anything new going on? It seems like forever since I've been there," Hammond said, mournfully.

"Nothing really new," Lex said. She finished her fries. "Mr. Muldoon, Mr. Arnold, and Dr. Harding have been making sure things are okay." She was careful not to mention Wu.

"Are they taking care of my animals?"

Malcolm almost laughed. This was the same pre-stroke Hammond that he knew very well.

"They always do, Grandpa. You should have more faith in your staff."

A thoughtful expression crossed his face. "I do."

"They're the best you have."

"That's true…I hired the best of the best." Hammond picked at his salad. "How's Tim?"

"He's fine, still working on the scrapbook for you. He gives you a big hug." Lex hugged Hammond. "So does El."

"That's good…" Hammond looked around the cafeteria. "I hope they let me out of here soon."

"The doctor said you could leave soon. Right, Dr. Malcolm?"

Malcolm nodded slowly. He tried to keep his voice and expression neutral. "Yeah, just a few more months."

**oOo**

After they finished lunch, Hammond wanted to return to his room to rest. Malcolm and Lex escorted him back to the second floor. Inside the room, Hammond sat on his bed while Malcolm stood nearby waiting for Lex.

"Lex has to tell you about the flowers she gave you. Then we'll be on our way."

"You're not staying longer?" Hammond sounded disappointed. "I'm glad you came and had lunch together. It's so hard staying in this hospital. The staff is kind and helpful, but it's not the same as being on my island."

"I know, but I'm hoping it's as Dr. Calderon told us earlier, that you'll be able to leave soon and return home." Malcolm searched for the right words. "We have to run some errands on the mainland, but we'll come back soon."

He sincerely hoped he would be able to make good on that promise. It would be even better if Alan Grant was with them the next time they came to see Hammond. Malcolm decided when Grant returned with Lex, they would visit Hammond again before heading back to Isla Nublar. He watched Lex pick up the flower pot and bring it to Hammond.

"El and me grew these flowers a few months ago; she said you'd like them. _Guaria morada_."

Hammond said, "That's what Dr. Calderon called them."

"Here, smell it."

Hammond leaned over and to make it easier for him, Lex lifted the flowers to his face so he could take a whiff. He frowned. "No smell."

"These flowers don't have a scent. El said Costa Ricans believe the _guaria morada_ is filled with dreams to be accomplished. They represent hope for the future."

At the mention of dreams, Hammond's face brightened.

"Another words," Malcolm said, "one day your dream of Jurassic Park being opened to the world will come true. Just not right now—not while I'm around."

Hammond chuckled. "We'll see about that!"

"I hope you like your flowers, Grandpa. Everyone misses you and looks forward to seeing you return." She kissed him on the cheek and then hugged him tightly. "I love you."

Hammond held Lex as she rested her chin on his shoulder. He looked up at Malcolm and mouthed two words: _thank you_. Malcolm nodded and placed the flowers on the window sill.

Lex released her grandfather and stood up. "Ready?"

"Yep." Malcolm leaned over and squeezed Hammond's shoulder. "Keep fighting the good fight, John. Next time we come by, we expect to see you swinging from the chandeliers."

They waved good-bye and left the room with the door open. Long after they had left the room, Hammond stared at the doorway, wondering when they would visit him again.

**oOo**

Three hours later, Malcolm and Lex sat in the busy airport of San José. People bustled around carrying luggage. Announcements in English, Spanish, Chinese, French, and other languages blared over the PA system.

From the time they had left Hammond until now, they had tackled several tasks. First, Malcolm took out funds from Hammond's emergency account. They had shopped at a clothing store where Lex brought a two pairs of pants, one blouse and t-shirt, and a blue duffel bag to take on the plane. Afterwards, Malcolm had made reservations at the Adventure Inn, a hotel close to the airport. From there, they went to the airport where Lex had purchased roundtrip tickets to the States. Malcolm had a feeling she'd have to switch planes in the States, but for now she'd get the roundtrip tickets to be on the safe side. Now it was five-thirty in the early evening and Lex's plane was scheduled to depart in an hour.

"I have something for you, Lex," Malcolm said. "Close your eyes."

Lex smiled, wondering what Malcolm had up his sleeve this time. "I hope it's a good thing." She closed her eyes and waited.

"It is." Malcolm reached into the paper bag next to him and removed a silver charm bracelet. "You have to hold out your right arm."

"Okay, this is weird." She giggled. "What are you doing?"

Malcolm finished clasping the bracelet. "You can open your eyes now."

Lex's eyes opened and then widened when she saw the silver charm bracelet. "Wow…Dr. Malcolm…you didn't have to," she whispered. "It's beautiful."

"I wanted to. I know you were upset when Dodgson threw the other one in the water."

"Yeah, I was, but it's not just a bracelet. It's more than that."

"What is it? I remember giving it to you for your Sweet Sixteen." Malcolm sat back, remembering her party. "It seems like a lifetime ago we had that party for you."

"It does," Lex said. "The bracelet reminds me of when everyone was happy on the island. That's why I got upset when he tore it off. You gave it to me when Grandpa was on the island and healthy. Mr. Muldoon and Mr. Arnold were friends, and Dr. Harding wasn't stressed out because the animals were doing fine. Dr. Grant was still there for me and Tim; we could hang out and talk to him anytime. You and El were happy. El's greenhouse had hundreds of flowers, and every week we would grow new ones. Dr. Wu wasn't with Biosyn. Even Mr. Gennaro was decent back then." She sighed as she remembered the way things were before. "Everything was good and everyone at my Sweet 16 was happy. I hope things can go back to being that way again, you know? Everyone happy and having a good time."

Malcolm nodded. He was amazed at how the silver bracelet he had given Lex could bring up so many memories and mean so much. "I believe things will improve…maybe not one hundred percent, but definitely better than what they are now."

"They should," Lex insisted. She watched as an elderly man walked by them, holding a little girl's hand. It was apparent that they were grandfather and granddaughter. "Dr. Calderon said Grandpa can return soon."

"Yeah, she did." Malcolm had the same odd note in his voice when the topic was brought up during lunch. This time Lex called him on it.

"How come you don't sound happy? It's the best news we've heard in a long time." Lex looked sadly at her bracelet. "Don't you want Grandpa to come back?"

Malcolm met her eyes. "I do, Lex. It's not that I don't. It's that he can't return to the island right now—not with the way things are. I don't even want to imagine what his reaction would be if he saw Dodgson there."

"That's true…" Lex stared at the floor.

"I don't want to do anything that would send him back to the hospital," Malcolm said, firmly. "I'm not saying that to be funny or sarcastic. I mean it. What's going on at Isla Nublar would devastate your grandfather. I'm hoping that by the time the hospital decides to release him, that we would've ridded the island of Biosyn."

Lex nodded. She said nothing and pulled the duffel bag close to her. Malcolm decided to sit in silence for a little while. He could tell Lex was disappointed, and truthfully, it was just as disappointing for him to tell her what he did. Still, he had to be honest about the situation. It wouldn't do any good to lie about it. Malcolm glanced at his watch and saw the time was ticking. It would be a good idea to go over everything again before she boarded the plane.

"How're you feeling right now, Lex?"

"I'm alright. I was just making sure I had everything." She opened her duffel bag and took out Grant's itinerary that she had previously hid in her sneaker. "So I'm going to find him at Montana State University?"

Malcolm was relieved to hear the firm resolve in Lex's voice. "Correct. By the time you reach the States, he should be giving his second lecture there. He's scheduled to stay there for two weeks, and then he's traveling to California. It would be great if you reach him while he's at Montana."

"What about Mr. Nedry?"

Malcolm had almost forgotten about his plan to bail Nedry out of jail. "I'll figure it out. That's the first thing I'm taking care of tomorrow."

"Do you think that's who Grandpa saw? I heard the doctor mention a prisoner."

Malcolm nodded. "Yes, I believe so. It confirms what Tembo told us in the control room that night when Robert interrogated him."

Lex busted out laughing. "Today was even funnier. He didn't see that coming!"

"He certainly didn't."

"I was worried at first that it wasn't going to work…or that he'd follow me into the bathroom."

Malcolm raised his eyebrows. "If he did that, he'd have a real case on his hands."

"He didn't get a hold of this—and neither did Dr. Dodgson." Lex rolled up her jeans to reveal an envelope taped to her leg.

"So you used the tape after all."

"Uh-huh," she said, tearing off the tape. She handed him the envelope. "Check it out."

Malcolm opened the envelope and his eyes widened in recognition. A stack of hundred dollar bills were held together with a thin rubber band. He gave it back to her. "This is your birthday money from your Sweet Sixteen."

"Just half of it, the rest I left with Tim. I knew it'd come in handy. I may use it in the States to stay in an overnight motel and pay for transportation." She put the envelope in her duffel bag.

"Very good and insightful."

"I'm going to pay for my bracelet too."

"Nah, that's a gift, Lex. Anyway, you have to board your flight soon and go through security, so let's go over our plan one more time."

Lex nodded. "When I get to the States, I'm going to Montana State University."

"Exactly. As soon as you find him…well, you know what to tell him. The important thing is that you come back to Costa Rica first thing. Meet me at the Adventure Inn. I'll be there for a week at most, so that should give you and Dr. Grant plenty of time to return." Malcolm fished in his pocket for the brochure he picked up at the Adventure Inn. "Take this with you too, in case you need to know the address and phone number where I'm staying at."

"That's _if_ he decides to come back." She folded the brochure and put it in her duffel bag.

"He will, Lex."

"I hope so."

"Is there anything else that we haven't gone over?"

Lex thought for a moment. "How do you think everyone's doing on the island?"

"Ah, that's a good question." He shrugged. "I honestly don't know, but I hope they're doing okay."

"What if they get in trouble because of what we did?"

"There's a possibility of that happening. It's the risk we took. The park staff knew it too."

"Mr. Muldoon and Mr. Arnold knew? Dr. Harding?"

"Yes, they knew. Remember what happened after what we did to Roland Tembo?"

Lex smirked. "And we went and did it again."

"He's an unlucky fellow, but he deserves it." Malcolm glanced at his watch and then looked at Lex. "It's time now."

Lex picked up her duffel bag. "Time for me to leave?"

Malcolm nodded. He pointed at the departure ramp. "I'll walk you as far as they'll let me."

They walked side by side to the departure area where she would board her flight. As they neared the area, Lex's heart softly thudded and then sped up. It felt like her heart was a railroad track with a train racing across it. _It's alright,_ she told herself. _The plan will work once Dr. Grant and Mr. Nedry return to help. Everything will go back to normal on the island._ She kept reminding herself of this, even though Malcolm hadn't exactly specified what InGen would do once they gained two more people on their side. Lex figured Biosyn would be forced to leave the island and InGen would be fully restored.

"This is it," Malcolm said. "They won't let me go further." He pointed at the grim security guards standing nearby.

Lex turned to him. Tears threatened to fall and she wiped at her eyes, stopping them before they made their way down her cheeks. _Be strong like Mr. Muldoon,_ she thought. She hugged Malcolm, and blocked out the surrounding noise in the airport. She concentrated on the journey she was about to undertake.

"Thank you for everything, Dr. Malcolm." She smiled. It was a nervous, bittersweet, and elated smile. "I'll see you soon."

Malcolm nodded. "Godspeed, Lex."

Lex joined the passengers boarding the plane. She walked with her head held high as Ellie had told her to. Malcolm looked at the new silver bracelet twinkling on her right wrist. Lex turned around once to wave at him. He waved back and smiled. She continued onward and Malcolm watched until she completely disappeared from his sight.

* * *

**Authors's Notes:** DarthSidious04, I hope you liked seeing your suggestions/ideas in this chapter regarding Hammond's update and Tembo questioning Dodgson's sanity. Thank you very much!

**- Sassy Lil Scorpio**


	10. The Malcolm Effect

**The Malcolm Effect**

Lewis Dodgson had drove around the park for the past two hours, burning gas. At first, he had stopped by the paddocks, but now he was content to drive around in circles. It was a long two hours for the other occupants in the jeep. Ellie Sattler sat up front, staring out the window and Tim Murphy sat in the backseat. Neither of them said anything to Dodgson the entire time. It was uncomfortable and unbearable, but they forced themselves to sit quietly rather than entertain a conversation with Dodgson, who suddenly broke the silence.

"I have a splendid idea."

Ellie glanced at him, and then went back to staring out the window. Tim didn't respond.

Dodgson dug in his pocket and produced a walkie-talkie. Keeping one hand on the steering wheel, he maneuvered the walkie-talkie and radioed Henry Wu.

"Where are you, Hank?"

There was messy static and then Wu's voice could be heard. "In the maiasaura paddock making sure our resident vet and park warden are doing their jobs."

"We'll be there in a flash." Before Wu could respond, Dodgson turned off the walkie-talkie and tossed it on Ellie's lap. "Hold it for me," he told her.

Ellie picked up the walkie-talkie with the intention of tossing it out the window and then thought better of it. She dumped it into the backseat and sat back, serene and unconcerned with Dodgson's reaction.

Dodgson took his eyes off the road to glare at her. "Real cute. We're going to the maiasaura paddock right now."

Ellie shrugged and met Tim's eyes in the rearview mirror. Tim looked worried, although he kept his gaze everywhere, but Dodgson's direction. So far, the plan had worked well. Tim was safe and Dodgson hadn't done anything to him.

Ellie wondered if this would still be the case once Ian Malcolm's plan went into action. She had no way of knowing what had transpired on the mainland with Roland Tembo or Lex Murphy, but she was confident Malcolm had accomplished what he had set out to do. It was only a matter of time before they found out. Ellie wished Malcolm could call her from the mainland to give her and the InGen staff a heads-up, but realized that would be too risky. The only way they would know if everything went according to plan was when Alan Grant and Dennis Nedry returned to the island with Malcolm and Lex sometime this week or the following week.

The jeep suddenly swerved as Dodgson slammed the gas pedal and turned the steering wheel. Within minutes, they were in a wide open space surrounded by green grass in all directions. Up ahead, a herd of maiasaurs stood together by the water hole. About a hundred feet away from them, Gerry Harding was hunched over a sick maiasaur. The animal lay on her side, slowly breathing, while Harding continued to do his work. Robert Muldoon stood nearby helping him and Wu watched from a distance. Dodgson pulled over several feet away, stopping the jeep abruptly.

"You—" Dodgson demanded, pointing at Tim, "get the fuck out right now!"

Tim hesitated. Ellie turned to him, a concerned look in her eyes, and then back to Dodgson.

"What are you doing? I told you he's staying with us! We agreed to this!"

Dodgson ignored her. "Are you deaf? I said get out—NOW!"

Before Dodgson could shout again, Tim yanked the door handle and scurried out of the jeep. He quickly went to stand by Muldoon, who now approached the vehicle to confront Dodgson. Harding stopped what he was doing, and even Wu seemed surprised by what was going on. Ellie started to open the door on her side when the jeep lurched forward.

"What the hell is he doing?" Muldoon asked no one in particular.

He watched Dodgson drive out of the paddock as quickly as he had drove in. Who knew what Dodgson planned on, now that he had dropped Tim at the enclosure—and had Ellie all to himself.

"I'm getting to the bottom of this, Gerry," Muldoon said. "And I'm taking Tim with me."

Harding nodded. "Do what you have to do."

Muldoon turned to Tim. "Let's go, we're leaving right now."

"We can't go anywhere," Tim protested. He glanced at Wu, who had the most fearsome expression on his face. "And he won't let us leave."

"He won't stop us," Muldoon replied. Without another word, he grabbed Tim's arm and sprinted towards the gas-powered jeep Harding had used earlier.

"HEY!" Wu shouted. "WHERE DO YOU THINK YOU'RE RUNNING OFF TO?" He watched them, shocked at Muldoon's actions. "You better come back here if you know what's good for you!"

Muldoon released Tim's arm so that he was running by his side. "Get in the passenger side fast!"

Muldoon was a swift runner and Tim struggled to keep up with him. In just a little while, they'd be in the jeep, out of the paddock, and driving down the back roads. Muldoon turned the ignition key and Tim climbed into the jeep. He could see Wu running towards them in the rearview mirror. _Time to get out of here,_ Muldoon thought. He jammed the gas pedal and sped out of the paddock before Wu could climb into the vehicle. Muldoon thought fast. Dodgson had probably gone to the visitor center with Ellie. Maybe Tim knew.

"Did he say where he was going, Tim?"

"No—he just dropped me off out of nowhere," Tim said between gasps. "I have no idea—"

"I'll find out what he's up to."

Muldoon knew Dodgson didn't have good intentions when he dropped Tim at the paddock and drove off with Ellie. He wanted to go find Ellie first, but he knew Tim's safety was priority. As he drove down the back road, Muldoon made an immediate decision about the best course of action to take in this situation. _Staff lodge first, visitor center second. _

**oOo**

The gas-powered jeep was parked in front of the visitor center, empty of its occupants.

Dodgson dragged Ellie up the steps. She was obviously not willing to go along with him, so he resorted to twisting and pulling her by the arm. It came as no surprise to him that he had forcefully removed her from the jeep in the same manner. Ellie hit and kicked Dodgson, but he barely reacted. He simply dragged her against her will, and enjoyed her putting up a fight. With one hand, he pushed the visitor center's doors open and yanked Ellie inside.

"This would a lot easier if you stopped struggling, Dr. Sattler."

"Like hell I will," she snapped, trying to yank her arm out of his iron grip.

Dodgson smirked as he walked down the corridor of offices and stopped at Hammond's office. He kicked open the door and tossed Ellie inside. Ellie tried to use those few seconds she had free to run out, but Dodgson closed the door and spun around to face her.

"Your little plan to protect Tim backfired on you. Now that I've got you here, you aren't going anywhere."

Ellie's eyes searched the room for another exit—there was none. Dodgson quickly advanced upon her, backing her into a wall. Ellie looked to her left and right just as Dodgson grabbed her shoulders in a tight grip so that she couldn't escape.

"Just you and me…I was pissed off that Dr. Malcolm wanted to do whatever, but you know what? This little plan works out just fine; it was easy to twist it around. Now I can spend quality time alone with you."

Before she could respond, Dodgson grabbed Ellie's hair and yanked it back, exposing her neck. Ellie gasped in fright and pushed him away. It was like an ant trying to shove a boulder off a cliff. Dodgson didn't budge. He simply lowered his head and kissed Ellie's neck.

"You're sweet…"

Ellie's heart rode on a rollercoaster in her chest. _What the hell is he doing? _The horrible paralysis of fear spread over her and her mouth was dry like sand. She was frozen and just as quickly, her fury overtook her, giving her the power to fight back. Mustering every ounce of strength, she pushed Dodgson off her.

Dodgson backed up a few inches and maintained his balance. A creepy grin lit his face. "I like a woman who shows a lot of spunk." He traced his finger on her lips. "Very sexy."

Ellie grabbed his wrist with the tracing finger and threw it against him. When she spoke, her voice was a feral growl, "Stop it or I swear—"

They were interrupted by the phone ringing in the office. Dodgson froze and Ellie took deep breaths, regaining her composure. The phone rang again, insistent. Dodgson slammed his right palm against the wall, missing Ellie's face by an inch.

"Now what!" Dodgson strode to the phone on the desk, not hiding his anger. "Of all the fucking times—whoever the hell this is better make it fast."

Free from Dodgson's towering form, Ellie quickly went to open the door and run out.

"Keep that damn door closed!"

Ellie closed the door reluctantly and kept her back towards Dodgson, refusing to face him. She wondered who was on the phone with Dodgson—whoever it was had the right idea to call now. As she listened to the phone conversation from Dodgson's end, she couldn't help but smirk in triumph. If Dodgson had seen the wry expression on her face, he would've strangled her. It didn't matter since he was wrapped up in his conversation—and based on how he was responding; Ellie knew Malcolm's plan had worked.

"Uh-huh…I see. How long do you think—" Dodgson scowled when interrupted. He paced back and forth. "Repeat that again, I didn't catch that, Roland."

Ellie looked over her shoulder quickly. She was amused at seeing Dodgson agitated and heard Tembo's voice over the phone. His usual deep and powerful voice had been reduced to a mouse's squeaking. She didn't know if he was afraid or if it was due to a poor connection. Either way, she thought he sounded funny.

"Don't—how long—here—" Tembo's words got lost in garbled static.

"Speak louder, I can't hear you," Dodgson demanded. "Hello? Hello!"

"Damn Malcolm—the girl is—"

"What's that? I can't hear what you're saying." He heard another voice shouting in the background and then their conversation was cut off.

Dodgson threw the phone on the desk. He didn't bother to rest it on the hook. He came over to Ellie. She sighed and gave him a look that read: "_what do you want me to do about it?_" He hated the defiant glare in her eyes. He opened his mouth to say something to her when he decided he had other ways of making her feel his murderous rage.

Dodgson viciously slapped her across the face with his open palm.

Ellie's head snapped to the side and a brief gasp escaped her lips. She held her cheek that stung with pain. He yanked her hand off and quickly delivered another loud backhand smack. Saliva dribbled from her lips and she wiped her face. He grabbed her jaw, squeezing it between his fingers as though he had the power to crush it.

"Conniving. Little. _Bitc__h_."

"You call me 'bitch' like it's a bad thing." Ellie smiled, despite the pain heating her face and the constant ringing in her ears. She knew this might happen—she knew they had risked everything when she agreed to Malcolm's plan.

His fingers dug into her cheeks as he held her face tighter.

"You better start talking."

"About what?"

"Don't fuck with me, you stupid cunt."

"Wouldn't be the first time." She couldn't believe she said that, but she knew she had to show him that he didn't intimidate her no matter how much he degraded her. "You have your own bitches to play with. Isn't Raúl one of them? Or is it Roland, I forget." Ellie snickered, although her heart threatened to rip free from its ribcage.

Dodgson released her jaw and took a step back. He tossed his tinted shades to the floor and took a deep breath, trying to maintain control over a situation that was clearly beyond his control. His gray eyes smoldered like a forest fire and burned into Ellie's blue eyes.

"Let's try this one more time: where the hell did Dr. Malcolm and Lex go?"

"Wherever they said they were going—that's where they went."

Dodgson raised his hand to slap her again and then stopped himself. He grabbed her shoulders and squeezed them tightly.

"I want answers." This came through clenched teeth.

"Ask Roland, he went with them."

"You know where they went and what they did—you and Hammond's merry men." He slammed her back against the wall.

At that exact moment, the door was thrown open and Muldoon rushed in with Ray Arnold. George Lawala came in trailing after Arnold.

"WHAT THE BLOOD HELL ARE YOU DOING?" Muldoon demanded. "GET YOUR DISGUSTING HANDS OFF HER NOW!" He pulled Dodgson off Ellie, yanking him by the collar of his suit, and directed her to stand by the doorway.

Dodgson adjusted his collar and glared at Ellie. "She knows what's going on."

He approached her directly, intending to further harm her. Muldoon shoved Dodgson back, causing him to stumble against Hammond's desk. Arnold went to stand by Ellie to make sure she was okay.

"Are you alright?" he asked Ellie.

She nodded, although she was shaking from what just happened. "I've been better."

"What's going on here?" Muldoon asked, glaring at Dodgson.

"The lovely Dr. Sattler and I are having a little chat about where that brat and creep went—and why Roland Tembo is locked up on the mainland."

Muldoon, Arnold, and Ellie remained silent.

"Since you're here, you better answer my questions," Dodgson said in a low voice. He glowered at Ellie, although he now included Muldoon and Arnold as his targets.

"My time is precious." Muldoon held Dodgson's eyes. "Hurry up and ask."

"Where the fuck did Malcolm take Hammond's grandkid?" He looked from Muldoon to Arnold, watching to see if any of them would give information away. Both men glanced at each other and then back at Dodgson.

"There's no need for that language," Arnold said.

"I'll express myself however the hell I see fit," he hissed, pointing at Ellie. "The bitch here—"

Muldoon snatched his wrist in midair.

"Her name is 'Ellie'," Arnold said.

"And you will refer to me as 'Dr. Sattler'," Ellie finished.

Arnold nodded in agreement. "Understood?"

Muldoon released Dodgson's wrist. Ellie watched from the doorway.

"Yes, perfectly fine," Dodgson spat. "_Dr. Sattler_ and the brat came by yesterday—"

"Her name is 'Alexis'," Arnold interrupted a second time.

"Yes, _Alexis_. They came here yesterday begging to see Hammond in the hospital. I was gracious enough to grant her request. She said she was going with Dr. Malcolm. They left at noon today."

"What's the problem?"

Dodgson's eyes widened and his fury skyrocketed. The fact that Arnold asked him in such a nonchalant manner was the final insult. He started pacing back and forth, like a death-row prisoner maddened by the fact that he was facing his impending execution.

"You know what my fucking problem is!"

"I don't," Arnold said, calmly.

"They were supposed to go and come back and now Roland Tembo's sitting in a damn jail cell."

"That's a shame."

Dodgson bristled when he heard the indifference in Arnold's voice. "I see you're no help. You should go back to the control room and sit on your ass watching the video monitors. That's all you're good for!"

Arnold wasn't the slightest bit offended by Dodgson's insults. "What's there to help with? He's in a jail cell. Go bail him out if you care so damn much."

Dodgson stopped pacing and approached them wearily. "You know what…when I find out where that mathematician and brat went…InGen's going to pay, _pay_, and PAY some more. You thought it was hell before? All those weeks where my team micromanaged you dirtbags down to your last breath? That was nothing."

Muldoon listened to Dodgson with a coolness that he had mastered long ago. There was no reason to be afraid or worried about Dodgson's threats. The InGen staff had seen horrible days since Biosyn had taken over, but they hadn't given up. As far as Muldoon was concerned, the fight wasn't over until Biosyn left the island for good, and it was only a matter of time before that finally happened.

Dodgson jabbed a finger in Muldoon's chest. "Start talking."

"What do you want me to tell you?" Muldoon swatted Dodgson's finger off his chest.

"Have you been listening to me? Or daydreaming about your love affair with Rhonda the Raptor?"

"It's hard to understand what you're saying when you cuss so bloody much."

Dodgson punched the wall. His knuckles slid down leaving a blood smear. "I know how to hit you where it hurts. Maybe I should strangle that kid in front of the staff and leave his stupid carcass for the compys to feed on."

"Oh my God—" Ellie gasped. "You would never—"

"Idle threats, Ellie," Muldoon said, meeting her eyes. "He won't _dare _touch Tim."

"Are you testing me?" Dodgson sneered.

"You'll have to get through me first before you can even complete your thought about what you'd do to Tim," Muldoon said, turning to Dodgson. "You'll do no such thing—not while I'm around, and seeing as you won't let us leave the island, that means I'll be around for good."

Arnold chuckled. "Good one, Robert!" Even Ellie gave a half smile.

"You think this is funny? Like some fucking stand-up comedy?"

Muldoon shrugged.

"You three," Dodgson snarled, "should be thankful that I'm here. I take care of InGen while Hammond's away and this is how you show your gratitude."

"We'll show our gratitude when you leave the island for good," Ellie said.

"Shut up! You wait until I'm finished speaking and then you can talk."

Ellie burst out laughing and Dodgson stared at her, astonished.

"Are you finished? We've got things to do," Arnold said, gesturing towards the door where Lawala stood waiting.

"Get out of my face." Dodgson waved dismissively. "The sight of you three is infuriating."

"Our pleasure," Muldoon said. "After you, Ellie."

"Just so you know; you all work for me. Dr. Malcolm and Lex being God knows where doesn't change anything."

Ellie walked out first, followed by Arnold. Lawala trailed after Arnold. Throughout the entire confrontation, he remained silent and observant. It appeared that Dodgson was too focused on the InGen staff to reprimand him. Muldoon joined them and turned around to face Dodgson.

"We work for John Hammond—and John Hammond _only_," he said icily. "That will never change."

The group left and Dodgson dashed into the hallway, shouting down at them:

"GOOD RIDDANCE! YOU THREE ARE A WASTE OF SPACE ON THIS ISLAND!"

They didn't hear him or they simply ignored him. He knew they knew what had happened, but they didn't break. Never mind that—Dodgson had to forget about the InGen staff and focus on his team. Infuriated, he wondered how he would bail out Tembo. Under no circumstances would he leave the staff by themselves. That was out of the question.

Dodgson thought some more. Who had been with Tembo that night? Howard King. He would send King, by himself, to get Tembo out. Before he did that though, he had to make a few phone calls to see how much bail, if any at all, had been posted. Dodgson went inside Hammond's office and slammed the door behind him.

**oOo**

Muldoon approached Harding in the maiasaur paddock, still trying to put the confrontation against Dodgson out of his mind. Insanity and chaos was the norm on the island, but it still wore on Muldoon's nerves, especially the way Dodgson harassed Ellie and threatened Tim. He knew Dodgson's behavior must've stemmed from the success of Malcolm's plan. Muldoon was happy that Malcolm's plan had worked, but knew it was a double-edged sword because now the InGen staff had to protect themselves from Dodgson and his team. There was no telling how he'd take his anger out on Ellie, Tim, or anyone else from InGen.

Despite everything, he was glad he had the foresight to hide Tim in the staff lodge before going to the visitor center. Muldoon had taken Tim to a tiny bunker in the staff lodge, where he could remain for now. Only the InGen staff knew about it and they planned to keep it that way. There was food, a bed, blankets, first aid—it had everything he needed. Muldoon wasn't thrilled to place Tim in the bunker, knowing it might remind him of the week when he, Lex, and Malcolm had been locked in one against their will. This was about Tim's safety, as Muldoon explained to him, and Tim accepted it. Muldoon promised to return later.

After the confrontation in Hammond's office, Muldoon told Ellie about the bunker once they were out of the visitor center. She had gone to check on Tim, which was a good thing. Muldoon wanted to make sure an adult from InGen was always near Tim so that Dodgson wouldn't be tempted to make his threats a reality.

Now he returned to the maiasaura paddock again to check up on Harding's progress.

Harding was bent over the sick maiasaur,a still trying to figure out how to help her. The duck-billed animal lay on her side, breathing heavy. Her brown tongue lagged, spittle dripping onto the grass.

Harding looked up when he heard Muldoon and approaching.

"Hey Robert, what's going on? I thought you forgot about our patient here," he patted the maiasaur on the head.

"I had to see what was going on with you-know-bloody-who. He was harassing Ellie and yelling about how Roland's locked up on the mainland. I was able to get Ray from the control room. George Lawala let him out for a few minutes."

"Really?" Harding was surprised. "Seems like Lawala is the only one with an ounce of respect."

"He didn't do anything to stop it; he just watched the whole thing. Ray and I had to step in; otherwise Dodgson would've done something crazy. He probably did before we got there, that's what pisses me off."

"It never ends around here…" Harding sighed. "Is Ellie okay?"

"She's alright, just rattled from the incident."

Harding nodded. "Where is she now?"

"With Tim in the staff lodge. Someone on staff must stay with Tim at all times."

"Definitely, we need to make sure he's safe. Strength in numbers, you know?"

"Right, that's the idea."

Harding thought for a moment. "It's good that Roland's stuck on the mainland, it gives Dr. Malcolm and Lex time to complete their plan."

"It does," Muldoon agreed. He looked around and noticed that someone was missing. "Where's Henry?"

"Lopez came by and picked him up after you left," Harding said. "That's the only thing he's ever done on this island that I appreciate. I don't need either of them breathing down my back, telling me how to do my job." He wiped his forehead that gleaned with sweat. The day had just begun and he had a feeling he was going to be out here all day, trying to nurse the maiasaura back to health.

"Is this the same maiasaura Ray told you about?" Muldoon asked, redirecting their focus on the dinosaur.

During the past several weeks, this particular maiasaura had been observed on the video monitors to be dragging her weight and ambling around the paddock. Arnold made it a point to watch it closely and discovered she wasn't eating or even trying to make any attempt to stay alive. It was as though she was choosing to die. Now the sick maiasaura was situated far away from the herd; it had become an outcast among its own kind. This was very unusual considering the normal behavior of maiasaur; usually they stayed together as a herd for protection.

"Yeah, this is her. She's been sick for awhile, but I don't know from what…" Harding's voice trailed off. "This is different from the stegosaurs, and they're always getting sick."

Harding massaged his temples, and thought about what he should do. No answers came to him. He looked down at the maiasaura; the animal was breathing hard and she blinkaed her eyes. He tried not to let the situation get to him, but it was too much. It always hurt Harding to see sick animals, especially when he didn't know how to remedy the problem. He was a true veterinarian at heart and viewed the dinosaurs as his actual patients. He would do anything in his power to save a sick animal. Harding felt they were deserving of the same compassion and care a human would receive if they were extremely ill.

"I just wish I knew what it was."

"Could be the water supply," Muldoon suggested. "It hasn't rained on the island for months now."

Rainfall provided water for the waterholes the dinosaurs drank from. They had man-made troughs in their paddocks and tended to go back and forth between that and nature's water. Nature's water, the rainfall, had not been plentiful lately. Maybe the dinosaurs were drinking old still water, making them sick. Harding asked Muldoon about it.

"It's possible," Muldoon said. "We have to order more water for the animals to make sure they're getting what they need to survive. We've done it before."

"Yeah…" Harding shook his head. "I think it has more to do with those screwy food plans that Lopez is using. He's made all these changes like having the herbivores eat goats, and the carnivores eat plant matter. It's ridiculous."

"There's only one thing we can do about it," Muldoon said.

"What's that?"

"Confront him and Dodgson—and force them to stop doing it."

Harding groaned. "They're not going to listen to us. You know that already."

"I know, but he can't rip our heads off for telling him the truth. If he wants to make a bloody fortune off this park under Biosyn's name, then he doesn't have a choice."

**oOo**

"Do me a favor, Raúl. Get me bottled water from the cafeteria. Thanks, it'll help me figure this garbage out."

Raúl Lopez nodded and left the office, leaving Wu behind with Dodgson. They were in Hammond's office brainstorming how to get Tembo out of jail. Dodgson imagined the worst possible scenario: he would have to pay bail to get him out and Tembo would have to go to court and face charges. Although Dodgson had successfully freed Nedry from federal prison, he wasn't sure he'd be able to do the same for Tembo. He wasn't familiar with the Costa Rican judicial system as he was with the American system. Lopez had expressed optimism before he left.

"We don't know if he's been charged with any crime. You can always call the cop that helped us before."

Dodgson had stared at him. Lopez hadn't been sure if Dodgson was impressed or infuriated by his suggestion. He took a chance and continued with his idea. "For the right amount of money, he can be bribed to release Roland with no charges."

Dodgson considered the idea. Wu offered no suggestions as to what could be done, although he seemed to agree with Lopez. Lopez came back with the bottled water and handed it to Dodgson.

"What do you think, Dr. Dodgson?"

"It's good to have friends in high places," Dodgson said, grinning. "I'm going to call that cop and see if he can pull some strings."

"Good idea."

"It was yours, Raúl."

Lopez grinned with pride. He was finally getting the recognition and appreciation he had always wanted. "As I said before, he might just spend the night in jail and then be released. No sweat."

"You're right; I just don't want to pay stupid bail because he was dumb enough to get arrested. Arrested for what?"

"Dr. Dodgson," Lopez said quietly, "we don't know, so let's not assume anything. If anything, I think InGen set him up." He muttered the last words, knowing they would set off Dodgson. He reached for the phone on the table between them. "Call the cop, offer him some hush-money, and everything will be set. Roland will be back before you know it."

Dodgson nodded. "I'm going to do that right now. Get Sonya and Howard in here. By the time I'm done calling, they need to know what's going on since one of them is going to the mainland to get Tembo."

Lopez nodded and left Hammond's office while Dodgson dialed the number Gennaro had given him to reach Antonio Contreras. Contreras had also given Dodgson his card the last time they were there in case he needed assistance. There was a brief ringing and then a phone on the other line picked up.

"Hello, who am I speaking with?" Dodgson said gruffly. He immediately warmed up. "How are you, Lieutenant Contreras? That's what we're calling you these days, huh? Good for you. Anyway, I have some questions regarding one of my employees. Not that one…I want nothing to do with that jack-ass…I'm surprised they didn't ship him to the States yet. What's the hold up?" Dodgson was silent for a moment as he listened to Contreras. Then he continued. "His name is Roland Tembo and he was probably brought in earlier."

Lopez returned with Howard King and Sonya Durant. He opened his mouth to speak to Dodgson, but was waved away. Of course, it was never a good idea to interrupt Dodgson when he was on an important phone call and taking care of business matters. Lopez totally understood.

"So there will be no charges…just the night in jail. I'm sending in my personal assistant tomorrow, he'll give you a personal donation for your generosity."

Dodgson slammed the phone down. He looked up at Sonya and King. King looked confused as to what was happening, and Sonya appeared suspicious. She remained standing in the doorway and didn't return Dodgson's confident smile.

"Excellent news!" Dodgson said excitedly. "Our friendly neighborhood cop is erasing Roland's record of arrest. He was going to change the charge, but he's going to see if he can get rid of it for good. One of you has to be there tomorrow at three in the afternoon to pay him off, and we're set. He'll be at a bar near the police station, you'll meet him there."

"That's why you should've let me go with him," Sonya muttered.

"What did you say, Sonya?" Dodgson asked, looking straight at her.

There was an edge in his voice that everyone on the team was familiar with. Even Wu, who had just started working with Biosyn, knew that tone meant you had crossed a boundary with Dodgson.

Wu, Lopez, and King turned to stare at Sonya.

"He shouldn't have gone by himself," Sonya said, keeping her voice low.

"Sonya Durant, if you're going to speak, then make sure it's loud enough so that everyone can hear what you have to say," Dodgson said, his eyes narrowing to slits. "Or shut your fucking mouth. I don't have time to waste on your smart-aleck backtalk. I had enough of that from Dennis—and I don't need you taking his spot."

Sonya swallowed nervously. She hated being embarrassed in front of the team, especially since she considered herself to be one of Dodgson's most loyal employees. This whole situation with Tembo needing to get bailed out of jail came about because Malcolm and Lex played their stupid games. They tricked him into getting arrested to throw him off their trail. It was obvious to Sonya the situation had been planned out and executed perfectly.

Not that Dodgson would listen. He _should_ listen and take it out on the InGen staff—because Sonya knew she definitely would if she was in his shoes—but Dodgson was prideful. As furious as he was from the whole situation, he would never admit he was wrong to send Tembo by himself. Sonya knew it, and she was certain the rest of the team knew it, but no one would say anything. Sonya would've pressed the point, but she didn't want to face Dodgson's anger or be dismissed. Instead, she stood at the doorway, refusing to say anything else.

"Are we clear, Ms. Durant?"

Sonya gave a curt nod.

"Good." Dodgson grinned in her direction, satisfied that she knew her place. "You're still one of my best!"

She gave a lukewarm smile, but still didn't join the rest of the group.

"What was he arrested for?" Lopez asked, bringing the group back to business.

"Bringing a firearm into a hospital, but he's going to change it to disturbing the peace in a public building—some nonsense. He said it's not a serious charge and Roland will spend the night in jail. One of you," Dodgson pointed at Sonya and King, "is taking the trip tomorrow. I'd prefer you to go, Howard. I need Sonya here."

King shrugged, seeing as he didn't really have a choice. "Sure Lew, I'll do it."

"Good. Now let's talk about—"

Muldoon and Harding suddenly rushed into Hammond's office followed by Ellie. They brushed past Sonya, who hadn't heard them coming. Dodgson kept silent as they approached him. Wu's eyebrows rose in surprise and King seemed disinterested. Lopez smirked at Sonya and they watched Dodgson go into action.

"We have a serious problem," Harding said.

"I have a serious problem too, but it's about to be solved," Dodgson said, as he opened the bottled water. "I still have some minor setbacks with Dr. Malcolm and Lex running around on the mainland, but that's okay. Two less InGen shitheads to worry about works for me!"

Harding ignored what Dodgson just said. "We need to order a fresh supply of water for the troughs—the dinosaurs drink from them."

"I know what they are," Dodgson snapped.

"Hammond ordered the best water especially for his animals," Muldoon added. "If you want them to be maintained, then you have to order more water."

As ridiculous as it sounded, Muldoon and Harding were telling the truth. Hammond, in his own famous words "_spared no expense_" when it came to the dinosaurs' conservation. Although a heavy rainfall was healthy for the dinosaurs, he always insisted they receive the best, so he ordered thousands of gallons of water in case there was a shortage in the park. Certain areas like the dilophosaur paddock never had this problem because the jungle river ran through it. Other areas, like the maiasaura enclosure, were not as fortunate. When there was a lack of rainfall, the waterhole in the maiasaura enclosure dried up. It had not rained on Isla Nublar in months and the water supply was dwindling.

Harding was silent for a moment before he continued. "The animals are getting sick because there's not enough fresh water for them—and because of your staff."

Dodgson slammed his bottled water on the desk in response. "Say that again? I don't believe I heard you right."

"I said," Harding made sure his voice was firm, "the animals are getting sick because of _your staff_."

On the way to the visitor center, Muldoon and Harding decided to hold true to the reason the maiasaur was sick: Lopez changing their diets. They had gone to see Tim in the bunker, and Ellie decided to go with them. She predicted it wouldn't go well. Muldoon and Harding knew she was right, but decided to chance it anyway. Dodgson swore up and down that they better take care of _his_ animals or else—and now he didn't take them seriously. Not that it was anything new.

"You're joking, right? How dare you blame my staff on _anything _that goes wrong in this damn park!" Dodgson had been sitting behind Hammond's desk and now stood up. "Things were going wrong before we stepped foot on this island."

"And your presence has made everything worse," Muldoon shot back.

"Robert—wait—" Harding started, but Muldoon held up his hand.

"Your bloody staff is the reason for the dinosaurs getting sick. This never happened when John was here."

"That's a joke," Lopez said, snickering. "Henry told me about that sick stegosaur during the first park inspection."

Wu nodded in agreement, and smirked at Harding.

"We're talking about _now_, and right now, you're screwing with their diets," Muldoon said, directing his glare at Lopez. "You should know your stuff as a paleontologist."

"Excuse me?" Lopez was thoroughly offended. "Who the hell are you accusing?"

Dodgson made his way around Hammond's desk so that he faced off Muldoon.

"I've heard enough of this crap. I'm not going to stand by and let you accuse my staff of things that you InGen twats are doing or not doing." Dodgson pointed at Harding. "_You _have a responsibility to ensure the animals' health. Ordering water for the dinosaurs in this park is one thing…but to suggest they're getting sick because of my staff's new way of doing things—or because they're not lapping up Poland spring water—is damned ridiculous. That's some funny shit right there." He chuckled and gestured with his bottled water. "I don't have to order a damn thing."

"It's not a joke; they need to drink fresh water, just like we do," Ellie insisted.

Dodgson twisted the cap off and hurled his bottle of spring water to the floor. "There's your fucking water!" The water pooled into a puddle on the floor. "We're on an island in case you haven't noticed. You know what an island is, don't you? Use a bucket or a cup to collect the water. I don't care how you do it. _No one's_ getting off this island. Nice try."

Lopez and Wu laughed, amused at Muldoon and Harding's speechless reaction.

"Get ready, Howard. We have to prepare for your little trip."

King nodded and left the Hammond's office.

Muldoon and Harding exchanged a glance at the mention of "little trip". What did Dodgson have up his sleeve now?

Ellie watched him leave and started to follow him. Dodgson snapped his fingers and in a flash, Sonya blocked her path. Ellie tried to step around her, but Sonya kept moving in front of her, grinning the entire time. They were both the same height and Ellie was tempted to shove her out the way. It wouldn't be hard to take Sonya down, especially since Ellie was still fired up from her earlier confrontation with Dodgson and at Sonya for destroying her greenhouse.

"Don't even think of playing tag-along, Dr. Sattler," Dodgson growled from behind. "If you do, I'll have Sonya take care of you. You don't want that, trust me. She's brutal when necessary."

"Which is most of the time," Sonya added, as she picked at strands of Ellie's blonde hair.

"I'd hate to see your pretty face get torn apart by my most loyal employee. It would break my cruel heart."

Ellie and Sonya locked eyes, oblivious to Dodgson in the background.

"I'd love to tear it apart. Whenever you're ready, Goldilocks," Sonya sneered.

"Anytime you are, you rotten bitch."

Sonya's eyes widened. _So Dr. Sattler has a little fire in her…we'll see who gets who, won't we?_

Muldoon placed a hand on her shoulder. "She's not worth a bloody penny, Ellie."

Ellie nodded, although her hands were clenched into tight fists. She was thrilled when she saw the slight shock in Sonya's face. _She has no idea who she's messing with, _Ellie thought. Muldoon squeezed Ellie's shoulder, reminding her to not bother with Sonya—at least, not right now. Satisfied, Ellie left Hammond's office with Muldoon and Harding, remembering what Harding had told her after Dodgson's gang had taken over Isla Nublar: _there's strength in numbers. _

**oOo**

"I spoke to your boss," Antonio Contreras told Roland Tembo.

They walked down a long gray hallway to a dark cell. There were cells on both sides of them. Inmates shouted at them, some laughing and some cursing.

"Who?"

"Dodgson."

_Of course, Dodgso pulled strings,_ Tembo thought. He was good at using people to achieve his goals, even those who worked for law enforcement.

"You'll be out of here by tomorrow. Don't stress it."

Tembo nodded, but found himself infuriated by the entire situation. _That joke of a mathematician and Hammond's bratty granddaughter think they have the last laugh._ Now he was locked in a damn facility on the mainland. At least he'd be out by tomorrow. Even so, he couldn't let go of the fact that they had made a fool of him.

Contreras opened the cell and Tembo walked in. Claustrophobia washed over him. Tembo prided himself on not being afraid of anything, but he knew he would never be able to serve a day in prison. How could anyone live in a ten by twelve cell—or even smaller? How could they face waking up to the same gray cell and steel bars for years? He'd rather shoot himself in the head. Tembo stared outside the bars, still in disbelief that he was locked up, even if it was only for one night. Contreras locked the cell door, the clanging noise echoing in the small confines. He called to the occupant already inside.

"I thought you'd like some company."

He received a raised middle finger in response.

"I have a good mind to come in there and break your little finger. I'll save that for your guest."

This time, Contreras met silence.

"You're learning to keep your trap shut. Good. Behave yourself or I'll throw you in the hole again like last time when you couldn't play nice." He leaned over to Tembo. "I'll have you moved to another cell in the morning." Without another word, Contreras walked away, whistling, leaving Tembo standing inside the cell.

Tembo watched Contreras leave. He didn't fully trust the cop, although he had been paid off by Lewis Dodgson. Contreras was obviously corrupt, and had probably been so for a long time, even before Dodgson showed up. Tembo decided not to dwell on it. He hadn't met his cellmate, nor did he want to. Thank God he would be out of here in less than twenty-four hours. _The first thing on my list will be to find that blasted Dr. Malcolm and wring his neck fifty different ways,_ Tembo thought. He smiled when he imagined it.

"Welcome to the big house."

Tembo turned around suddenly when he recognized the man's voice.

"You're still here?"

**oOo**

That evening the InGen staff sat together for dinner in the cafeteria.

Muldoon and Ellie sat on both sides of Tim, protecting him. Harding and Arnold sat across from them. Gennaro was nowhere to be found, he wasn't even sitting with the Biosyn team. Tim had been reluctant to go to dinner once he found out it was in the visitor center's cafeteria. He didn't want to run into Dodgson or anyone from Biosyn. After Muldoon explained they would sit with him, Tim felt more confident. He also wanted to get out of the bunker. Being in there all day was beginning to make him feel anxious, especially after Muldoon and Harding came back with Ellie following another incident with Dodgson. For now though, he would try to enjoy his dinner and not worry too much about Lex and Malcolm.

Harding smiled. "There's strength in numbers," he told Tim.

Tim nodded. He _did _feel safer sitting with his grandfather's staff. He felt nothing could break through InGen's solidarity. It was great to see them sit together since it hadn't happened in a long time. He could've counted the secret meeting in the staff lodge (which was terrific itself), but tonight's dinner beat that by a long shot. The InGen staff's sitting together in the cafeteria in plain sight for Dodgson to see was meant as a threatening gesture to their rivals. Tim glanced briefly to the left side before Muldoon nudged him.

"Don't worry about them; they're not going to do anything to you."

The Biosyn team sat across the cafeteria. They ate silently, while watching the InGen staff the entire time. Dodgson was the only one not eating. He stared at the InGen staff, not saying anything.

It went unspoken amongst both companies that the InGen staff had succeeded in undermining Dodgson. He had exercised complete control over them for some time; and now with Malcolm and Lex on the mainland, and Tembo incarcerated for the night, it proved they had managed to weaken his stranglehold. They had also directly challenged him earlier with that matter concerning the sick animals. Dodgson detested being challenged, questioned, and resisted. He always demanded full submission of his employees, and there was no way he'd allow InGen to run amok.

One thing was certain: they hadn't weakened Dodgson's determination to make Jurassic Park his own property.

Dodgson stood up and approached the InGen staff. They continued to eat their dinner, paying no mind to Dodgson. Arnold and Harding chatted about their tasks for tomorrow, and Ellie and Muldoon discussed quietly about their evening's plans. Tim involved himself in their conversations and stopped when Dodgson came over.

"So you guys like turning this island upside-down?" Dodgson asked.

Ellie and Muldoon exchanged a glance.

"That's your domain," Muldoon said, casually.

Dodgson ignored him and focused on Tim. He stared at him for a long while and chuckled to himself. Tim tried to not shrink back into his chair. It was obvious that Dodgson was trying to frighten him. Suddenly Dodgson flipped the table over, spilling plates, cups, utensils, and leftover food onto the InGen staff. Most of the items landed on the floor.

"What in the world is wrong with you?" Arnold wiped food crumbs off his trousers. "Is that supposed to be a joke?"

"You better watch your back, Tim—or better yet, hope your grandfather's little runts have your back."

Dodgson laughed and walked back to where his team sat. They were chuckling and jeering at the InGen staff.

"Don't worry about it," Muldoon told Tim. "I'll stay with you the entire night. We all will to make sure he doesn't harm you."

Tim looked at the rest of the staff to see if they really meant to stand by Muldoon's words. He relaxed when he saw Arnold, Ellie, and Harding nod in agreement. Tim thought about what Harding had told him. _There's strength in numbers._

**oOo**

The sun greeted Isla Nublar and its inhabitants the following day. No one from InGen showed up for the usual morning meeting in the cafeteria. It was just as well since the Biosyn team was nowhere to be found. The InGen staff took it upon themselves to go about their usual tasks. Although it was a new day and one would hope for a positive start, Arnold realized what lay in store for the InGen staff as soon as he got to the control room.

On the video monitor next to Arnold's console, the park's cameras had picked up a disturbing image. Arnold placed his coffee mug down on his desk and squinted at the screen. He couldn't be sure of what he saw, but it couldn't be anything else.

Lying on her side was the sick maiasaur that Harding had tended to yesterday. A cloud of flies buzzed around the carcass and beneath them, Arnold could barely make out the brownish-red leathery skin of the dinosaur. The once vibrant colors had faded and the arms, legs, and tail had stiffened in death. Arnold swallowed nervously and picked up a walkie-talkie to radio Harding.

**oOo**

"That's her…that's the one."

Arnold sat in his swiveling chair and lit a cigarette. "I didn't want to tell you, Gerry. It's the last thing you need to hear."

"I was going to find out sooner or later."

Harding had been in the triceratops' paddock taking care of a sick animal, when Arnold had contacted him to come to the control room. He shook his head in disbelief that this was happening. It seemed like the dinosaurs in Jurassic Park were dying faster than he could get to them to find out what was happening.

"Do you know how she died?"

"Probably the stuff I told you about last night…lack of water, changed diet…"

Arnold puffed on his cigarette and stared at the monitor. "You know Dodgson would be like 'clone another one, no big deal'—only he'd never let Henry hear him say that."

"Tell me about it." Harding sighed. He was mentally exhausted from the stress and frustration. "You know what? I'm going out there to check if it is her."

"And if it is?" Arnold asked.

Harding grew quiet. He wasn't sure what he would do yet. "We'll figure it out later. I'll take the gas-powered jeep in the garage—is Robert using it?"

"Not now. Do you want him to go with you?"

"Thanks, Ray, I got this. If you can just shut off the power for that paddock briefly—even better, I'll go in through the back roads."

"Alright, I'll cover you."

"Be back in a bit."

Arnold nodded and watched Harding leave the control room.

**oOo**

He wanted to go by himself, but as soon as he left the visitor center, Harding wished he had asked Muldoon to accompany him. There was "strength in numbers" as Harding often told his coworkers. When more than one InGen employee was around, the Biosyn team tended to back off. Still, Harding needed to see the maiasaur by himself.

As he parked near the enclosure, he wondered again what was going on with the dinosaurs in the park, and what had contributed to the maiasaur's death. Was it the lysine dependency? Not enough proper nutrients or fresh water? Screwed up diets? Was the extreme heat making it harder for the dinosaurs to live? The last question Harding dismissed. Most dinosaurs in their actual years had lived in extremely hot climates, so the weather couldn't be the answer as to what was hurting them now.

Harding had used the back roads and now he radioed Arnold to let him know it was okay to keep the paddock fences on. He walked into the grassy area from the back of the paddock. The maiasaurs were known to be docile creatures, so Harding wasn't worried about them charging at him. Three adults were grazing in the open field. The rest were moving slowly in a large group. One maiasaur cocked her head at him, curious, and then turned back to the group.

Fifteen feet into the enclosure he found what he was looking for. He was able to _smell_ it, even before he saw it. The dead maiasaur lay on her side; the leathery skin split apart around the belly area, revealing reddish pink muscles. Thick yellowish mucus-like fluids ran down the body. The sour smell of death hung about the animal. Harding wrinkled his nose: it smelled like a foul combination of mud, rotten eggs, and rain. Clouds of flies buzzed over the head and swarmed around the carcass.

Despite the grizzly sight, Harding knelt down beside the dinosaur and gently moved her head. The eyes were open with the black pupils dilated reflecting back Harding's image. Harding gently closed the dinosaur's eyes with his hand. He noted that the leathery skin of the dinosaur was rock hard. He sighed and felt a tear sting his eye. _I can't believe I'm crying,_ he thought and wiped his face. He set the head tenderly down.

Muldoon would probably be called in to remove the body with his team, or the compys could take care of it. The latter thought did not appeal to Harding, although the park staff sometimes used the compys for that purpose. He decided to head back to the control room and let Arnold know about the animal. It was the only thing he could do now. Everything that Harding could do, he had done, and still the maiasaur had died. He was heartbroken.

Muffled footsteps sounded behind him in the area.

Harding spun around and saw George Lawala several feet behind him. The sadness he felt moments ago was replaced with shocked anger. _I'm being followed now? What the hell!_ He was ready to shout at Lawala, but Harding found that his fury had the opposite effect: it silenced him. He was so angry that he couldn't even talk or find the words to express what he felt. How long had he been there watching? Harding glared at him and left the paddock without uttering a syllable. And to think, just the day before, he had credited Lawala as being the most respectful person from Biosyn. Harding climbed into the jeep and drove away, hoping that sooner than later the invasive Biosyn staff would leave Isla Nublar.

Permanently.

**oOo**

Lawala watched Harding leave the paddock. He could read the expression on Harding's face loud and clear: obviously the vet didn't take kindly to being followed and spied on. Regardless of how Harding felt, Lawala was obligated to report back to Dodgson his findings. He took out his walkie-talkie and pressed the button.

"Dr. Dodgson? Just giving you a heads-up: Dr. Harding left the paddock minutes ago without helping the dinosaur. We have a dead animal on our hands. Over."

**oOo**

Harding pulled up in front of the visitor center. The image of the dead maiasaur was fixed in his mind and he knew it would be a long time before he got over this loss. Not only was Harding trying to save the dinosaur, but he was trying to help Hammond in his own way. If he couldn't visit Hammond, the least he could do was take care of the animals. That was his job, but in the past months, Harding took it more to heart than ever before. He turned off the jeep and took out the ignition key. At least he could talk to Muldoon, Arnold, Ellie, and Tim about what happened. Harding stepped out the vehicle when suddenly he heard the visitor center's doors thrown open. He looked up and saw Dodgson running down the stairs with Wu following close behind.

"I heard from Lawala! How dare you not do your job?" Dodgson yelled as he rushed down the steps. "What are you being paid to do? Take syringes up your ass?"

Harding froze. He should've known there was a reason Lawala followed him. He had been ratted out, tattled on. It was so elementary that Harding would laugh if he wasn't upset about the dead maiasaur. Dodgson marched towards Harding, his face beet red, and his black shades shoved in his breast pocket revealing piercing gray eyes. Harding stood his ground, refusing to be intimidated while Dodgson bellowed at the top of his lungs.

"You're not tending to the dinosaurs' needs—if you can't do your job, I'll find someone who will! We don't need you fucking around with the animals if you're not going to help them!"

Harding took a deep breath and maintained a calm silence. He wanted badly to yell back, but it was useless. Dodgson stopped ranting and then Wu came forward, ready to add his two cents.

"You're destroying my creation, Gerry. Happy now?" Wu circled Harding. There was a cold glint in his black eyes.

Harding watched him swagger around. He knew Wu would take advantage of any opportunity to be malicious towards him since Harding had made jabs at him for joining Biosyn. Wu stopped in front of Harding and yanked his InGen identification badge. The badge stayed in place on Harding's shirt. Wu snatched it again, the second time it came off. He held it in the air, sneering.

"Do you need this, Gerry?" Wu asked as he walked to the lake in front of the visitor center.

Harding didn't reply, but kept his eyes on Wu.

"I didn't think so." Wu tossed Harding's badge into the lake. Dodgson applauded.

Harding watched, wordless, as his badge sank into the water.

"You're fired," Wu growled. "Pack your bags and get the hell out of Jurassic Park. You won't be receiving unemployment either."

A beat of silence.

"_Make me_."

Wu's eyes widened, surprised at Harding's words. "You don't want me to make you… you'll be sorry you said that."

Harding said nothing, but kept his glare focused on Wu. He wasn't afraid of his former co-worker. Let Wu try and lift a finger and he would meet an entirely new Gerry Harding.

The visitor center's doors opened again and Harding looked past Wu and Dodgson. Arnold, Muldoon, and Ellie raced down the stairs to stand with him. _Perfect timing,_ Harding thought. They probably heard Dodgson shouting. One person was missing though. _Where's Tim?_ He mouthed to Arnold. Arnold mouthed _staff lodge. _Tim was safe there. Harding nodded, relieved and thankful that his co-workers had come to his aid; and that Tim was safely hidden away.

"Back. Off," Muldoon demanded. He stepped in front of Harding and blocked Wu.

Wu and Dodgson didn't budge.

"Fine then," Muldoon said, and he gestured at Arnold and Ellie to stand next to Harding. "We're not leaving until you take a swim in the lake and retrieve his ID badge."

Harding heard a slight slurring in Muldoon's words. _He must be drinking again from all the stress,_ he thought. Arnold was right: _this place is nothing but stress. _

"I'm not going in there," Wu said, pointing at the lake. He wore a smug expression on his face that fit his new arrogant persona.

"Bloody hell, you are—even if I have to make you!" He grabbed Wu by the lapels of his lab-coat. "Go in there and swim to the bottom, you lying son of a bitch!"

Muldoon was in Wu's face to the point where their eyelashes could touch. Wu looked genuinely petrified and Dodgson stood nearby, gloating. Harding was going to tell him to forget about the badge, when Lawala, Sonya, and Lopez came from behind and pulled Muldoon off Wu. Harding stepped back and Ellie gasped in shock. They had come out of nowhere! Lawala and Lopez tossed Muldoon to the ground like a beanbag. Muldoon was a strong burly man, but they handled him swiftly in a coordinated manner—like a pack of raptors.

"You need to back off, jack-ass!" Lopez yelled. "Keep your damn hands to yourself!"

Muldoon's back slammed to the ground. Disoriented, he tried to stand up and Lopez kicked him in the stomach, hard. Arnold went to his aid, but Lawala shoved him down. That left Ellie alone next to Harding.

"We talked about your face before, Dr. Sattler." Sonya strutted towards her and raised a clenched fist. "I'm sure Dr. Malcolm would hate to see your face stitched up."

"I'm not afraid of you." Ellie's words came through clenched teeth. "Get the hell out of my face."

Sonya blinked and sauntered off to stand next to Dodgson. Ellie checked on Muldoon and helped Arnold to his feet. Dodgson pointed at Harding, the focal point of the scene.

"Make those fucking lizards stop getting sick. You're the doctor, so do something about it!"

Dodgson snapped his fingers at Lopez and pointed at the gas powered jeep. Lopez understood what he wanted and shoved Harding into the passenger seat of the jeep. Sonya opened the car door on the driver's side.

"Find out what's wrong with the maiasaur. This time you'll be escorted there and escorted back."

"She's dead," Harding protested. "There's nothing I can do for her."

"Bullshit! Raúl, Sonya, escort Dr. Harding. Make sure he does something to help the animal."

By now, Muldoon was on his feet again, standing next to Arnold and Ellie. He had overheard Dodgson forcing Harding to go back to the paddock and knew he was doing it on purpose. Dodgson knew how much it hurt Harding to deal with a dead animal, but he was pushing everyone beyond their limits because he could. Harding looked like he wanted to vanish from sight and he shook his head at Muldoon. _Go to staff lodge or the control room,_ he mouthed at the InGen staff.

"If she's dead, then I want a time and cause of death documented," Dodgson said. "Don't even think of returning here until it's done."

Harding kept his eyes downcast as Sonya pressed the gas pedal and they headed into the park, leaving everyone else behind. Lopez chortled in the backseat. _So much for strength in numbers,_ Harding thought.

**oOo**

That evening, King returned and headed straight for Hammond's office that Dodgson used as his own. He had completed the task of getting Tembo out of jail, although upon first sight of him, he tried not to appear shocked. Tembo looked like he had been roughed up the night before. His face was bruised, but despite the black shiner around his left eye, Tembo was still Tembo and as arrogant as ever.

King had made conducted the money exchange in an efficient manner. He didn't want to stay longer than he had to. Contreras had taken the money gleefully, after explaining he'd release Tembo in an hour. King had waited for Tembo at the bar where he had met Contreras. When Tembo finally met with King, he revealed nothing about the failed assignment to guard Malcolm and Lex. King figured Tembo would discuss that with Dodgson. Whatever. It wasn't King's problem anymore. Now he sat across from Dodgson, relaying the news of how everything went down.

"Good work, Howard," Dodgson said. "That wasn't hard at all, you deserve a gold star."

**oOo**

"Gerry's still in the park," Ellie said. "It's nine in the evening; he should've been back by now." She sat in the control room across from Arnold. Next to her, Tim played Snood on the computer.

"I know, but Dodgson's whores forced him to go back to the maiasaur enclosure. God knows when they'll be back," Muldoon said.

"'_Dodgson's whores_'?" Ellie repeated.

Muldoon saw the perplexed look she gave him. "It's a long story."

"I see." She didn't ask.

Arnold lit a cigarette. "This day does not want to end. Why is that?"

"It does feel that way," Ellie murmured. "No one's heard from Ian? Or Lex?"

Muldoon and Arnold shook their heads. Ellie sighed.

There was a sudden knock on the control room's door.

"Maybe that's Gerry now," Arnold said, tapping the cigarette over his ashtray.

Tim looked up from the computer and shook his head. "That's not Dr. Harding," he said.

"Who is it?" Muldoon asked as he started towards the door. Then he stopped in his tracks. "Never mind, it's that bastard. Make him wait outside, I don't bloody care."

Tim went back to playing Snood and Ellie moved further into the control room, next to Muldoon's workstation.

"We have to get in contact with Dr. Malcolm. Sooner than later," Muldoon said to Arnold and Ellie. They nodded in agreement. "I'm sure he'll call—"

A thunderous gunshot sounded right then—it had come from the entrance of the control room. Ellie took a deep breath and Muldoon went to check out the source. Tim left the computer monitor and went to stand with the adults. Arnold turned around slowly in his swiveling chair, his jaw dropped as the door to the control room swung open and the electronic lock crashed to the floor.

"What the hell?"

Roland Tembo walked calmly into the control room, carrying his infamous rifle. Smoke trailed behind him. He ignored Arnold's comment and picked up the ruined electronic lock that was used by island staff to gain access into the control room. Now an InGen electronic card wouldn't be necessary as Tembo had rendered the security device useless. He held it up like a trophy and then threw it down on the floor for everyone to see.

"I knock only once. If you won't let me in, then I do the honors and let myself in."

**oOo**

It was past midnight.

Harding sat alone in the control room's far corner, staring at the video monitors. Dark bags were under his eyes and he looked like he'd fall out at any moment. Ellie had already retired for the evening and took Tim with her to the staff lodge. Arnold lit a cigarette and turned when he heard the door open. There was no buzzing noise since Tembo had destroyed the electronic lock on the control room door several hours before. Muldoon walked in and tried to close the door.

"Don't even bother with it," Arnold said.

Muldoon nodded as he went over to his workstation. He propped his legs on the table and took out his flask. He had been aggravated when he first entered the visitor center. He had to do his routine night drive through the park with Tembo. The liquor had a calming effect, although he still wanted to kick Tembo in the face. It appeared somebody else had already done it, so Muldoon took pleasure in seeing Tembo's bruised face the entire time they drove in the park.

"So what's the plan for tomorrow?" He asked. "Wait for Dr. Malcolm to return?"

"I don't know." Arnold shrugged. "Gerry, what's that you're looking at?"

Harding didn't reply.

"Bloody when?"

"I'm sure he'll back soon," Arnold said, puffing on his cigarette. "Remember how John used to get pissed off when Dr. Malcolm predicted doom for the park?" He laughed. It sounded odd and forced, considering everything that occurred that day, but it felt good to laugh. "And then Ian would get even more pessimistic in his claims of things going from bad to worse here. What'd he call that again? The effect when things seem to be going right, they unexpectedly spin out of control?"

"The Malcolm effect," Muldoon said. "What's so funny about that?"

"I don't know," Arnold said, laughing again. "Are you okay, Gerry?"

Harding remained hypnotized by the video monitors, oblivious to Arnold's and Muldoon's conversation.

"What's Gennaro up to?" Muldoon asked, unscrewing his flask again. "I haven't seen him around all day. Didn't he want to be in charge? Or wasn't he going to help us against them?"

"That stupid lawyer is floating around the visitor center not doing a damn thing to help us." Arnold mashed his cigarette in the ashtray next to his keyboard. "You can never tell which side he'll be on from day to day."

"Depends on which direction the wind blows," Muldoon observed.

"Exactly."

"And George Baselton? I thought John hired him."

"Another traitor," Arnold said. "I'm sick of it."

He got up from his swiveling chair and stretched his arms. Yawning, he went over to stand beside Harding to find out what had captured his attention. Arnold was suddenly wide awake as if his head had been dunked in a bucket of ice cold water.

"Oh hell," he said softly. "I'm sorry, Gerry…you don't need to see this."

Muldoon turned in their direction and went to the video monitor they were watching.

"Good night," Harding mumbled, as he stood up. He left the control room.

Muldoon and Arnold watched the video monitor in silence. The image flickered on the screen and they wished it wasn't real. But it was all too real, just like Wu turning against InGen was real and Hammond being paralyzed really happened. Any other time, the situation may not have bothered Harding so much, like it did now. Arnold sighed and finally turned away, leaving Muldoon alone to stare at the video monitor.

The screen showed an adult triceratops lying on her side, eyes glazed over; and unnaturally still in the death that had quickly settled over her…


	11. Know Thy Enemy

**Know Thy Enemy**

Two days after Lex Murphy left on her flight to the States, Ian Malcolm carried out his part of the plan. He had tried the day before without any success. He had been unable to reach Contreras over the phone, and kept getting the runaround. Today would be different, Malcolm was sure of it.

At the moment, he was in San José on his way to the detention center. He admired the beautiful city, but he didn't have time to take a leisure tour. Malcolm crossed the busy street carrying a money filled suitcase. Inside the suitcase was a small amount of colón notes, about a thousand. He figured it was better to carry around a small amount, and if he needed more, he could always return to the bank and withdraw additional funds. It was only a matter of time before he reached his destination.

After making two wrong turns, and asking for directions, Malcolm found the jail. The facility was adjoined to the courthouse next door. In black capital letters on the side of the building read: SAN JOSÉ DETENTION CENTER. This is where he would bail out Dennis Nedry.

Malcolm hoped Nedry would help the InGen staff against Biosyn. Everyone wasn't thrilled with the idea. Donald Gennaro certainly wasn't, and Ray Arnold was skeptical. Ellie Sattler and Gerry Harding had mixed feelings. Robert Muldoon was the only one who openly supported this plan. Regardless of what everyone thought, it came down to the fact that they needed to do something about Biosyn. In his view, it was best to involve the person who knew the rival company firsthand. After his conversation with Muldoon about Nedry changing for the better, Malcolm decided it was the best decision.

He approached the building cautiously and took in his surroundings. It was mid-morning and the building was drab and gray on the outside. Despite the dismal appearance of the jail, Malcolm was optimistic. He felt accomplished, having successfully accessed John Hammond's emergency funds from Banco San José.

The private commercial bank had several branches dispersed throughout Costa Rica, and offered a variety of financial services, and also had English speaking staff. Hammond had been wise to handle his financial business with this particular bank. He had baffled the entire park staff when he had told them he had business matters to take care of on the Costa Rican mainland—and that he was going with Malcolm, of all people. Malcolm remembered signing the paperwork that would ultimately give him the permission and right to take out, deposit, or transfer funds if Hammond was unable to do so himself, or in the case of an emergency—and International Genetics was experiencing a real emergency. Malcolm would've never touched Hammond's funds unless he absolutely had to.

Despite the bad situation that had brought him to the mainland, Malcolm forced himself to focus on the positive. His plan was working. He and Lex had managed to throw Roland Tembo off their trail, so that they could move forward. He wondered how Lex was doing. _She should be in the States by now and on her way to find Dr. Grant, _he thought. Grant's presence on the island would lift the spirits of the InGen staff; he was well-liked and respected by everyone. And mostly, it was for Ellie. Ellie had been devastated when Grant left the island. Malcolm was well aware of this, even if she didn't confide in him that Grant's absence bothered her. He hoped Ellie and Grant could mend the brokenness between them.

He thought about the InGen staff and he hoped they were faring well. Malcolm knew it was a calculated risk for them to "escape" the island, but they had no choice. This was their only attempt to get outside help. Malcolm was tired of Biosyn occupying the island, saddened by the park staff's low morale, and angry that InGen was prisoner on their property. It was ridiculous and something had to be done before Biosyn wiped them out.

So Malcolm had plotted.

He reviewed the idea in his mind many times before sharing it with anyone. He had wanted to tell Ellie his ideas when Dodgson went to the mainland, but the fine details still had to be worked out. That's why he had researched flights to the States. He needed to calculate traveling time, costs, and the risks involved for everyone. When he had finally let everyone in on his plan that night in the staff lodge, he had already anticipated their reactions. The idea was farfetched, so he understood the staff's doubt. Even he wasn't sure if they would successfully execute it, but now as he walked into the secure facility and approached the heavy security guard in the lobby, Malcolm was glad they had given it a chance.

"Can I help you?" The officer asked. He had a slight Costa Rican accent.

"I'm here to see Antonio Contreras."

"Regarding?"

"Personal matters," Malcolm said.

The security guard gave him a dirty look. He picked up the phone, dialed an extension, and spoke in Spanish. He slammed the phone down and turned to Malcolm. "He'll be with you in a moment."

**oOo**

He was taken through a maze of administrative offices and then to a section where police officers milled around and mixed with jail guards. Snippets of Spanish and English conversations could be heard as he followed a petite female police officer.

"His desk is right there." She pointed to the far corner of the office.

Malcolm recognized him as the same cop who had arrested Nedry and Muldoon the night they returned to Isla Nublar. Antonio Contreras sat back in his chair like a regal king. He was surrounded by paperwork, and looked up when he saw Malcolm approach him. There was a dark glint in his eyes as though he was already suspicious of Malcolm's unexpected visit.

"What brings you here?" Contreras asked, his eyes focusing on Malcolm's suitcase.

Malcolm noticed Contreras hadn't invited him to sit down. "May I take a seat?"

Contreras gestured to the empty chair in front of his desk and Malcolm sat down. He placed the suitcase on the floor. He hoped he didn't have to use the money. It was an extremely hopeful idea, but maybe he could convince Contreras to drop the charges.

"I'm here to see someone," Malcolm said.

"And who would that be?" Contreras asked.

"Dennis Nedry."

Contreras laughed so loud that two police officers started towards his desk to find out about what was the matter. He waved them off. "You won't be seeing him anytime soon. He's supposed to go back to the States." He brought out a thick manila folder and placed it on the desk. The folder was overflowing with paperwork.

Malcolm's heart skipped a beat. What if he was too late? "When is he scheduled to go back?"

Contreras shrugged. "Who knows and who cares? He's better off rotting in jail."

"So you haven't started on that paperwork…" Malcolm pointed at the thick folder.

"What's it to you?" Contreras snapped. "You're from that island, aren't you?"

Malcolm nodded, choosing not to respond to Contreras' hostility.

"Why does everyone have amnesia when it comes to this guy? He's in his current situation because of his choices. I hope you didn't come here to bail him out."

"As a matter of fact, that's exactly what I came to ask you about." Malcolm placed the suitcase on his lap.

"What's that?" Contreras pointed at the suitcase.

"I'm paying his bail for him to walk free."

"Bail?" Contreras laughed harder than the first time. "You've got to be kidding me. I just told you he's going back to the States."

"From the sound of it, he's not leaving anytime soon."

"Even if he did have bail posted, I doubt you could afford it."

Malcolm leaned forward, confident. "Try me."

"Whether he stays rotting here, or gets transported to the States, it's none of your damn business."

Malcolm silent fumed at the cop's flippant manner. He knew from the night Muldoon got arrested with Nedry that Contreras was corrupt. And then finding out that he delayed Nedry receiving medical attention, based on what Hammond's doctor told him at the hospital… Malcolm wondered how many times Contreras had broken the law he was supposed to uphold.

"Would it be different if I paid you under the table? Then you'd let him walk free?"

Contreras visibly recoiled and Malcolm knew he had hit a nerve.

"Who are you talking to like that?"

"The man sitting across from me, and that man would be _you_," Malcolm shot back.

"Here's the deal: you're not seeing your nerdy pal and he's not getting out anytime soon. Get lost."

"It's going to take a lot more than that to get rid of me."

Contreras had started writing on a notepad and looked up, startled at Malcolm's demeanor.

"Since you want to know what's going on with your little friend…I'll tell you." Contreras picked up his walkie-talkie sitting on his desk and clicked it. He spoke in rapid Spanish and then set it down, smiling at Malcolm. "I'm adding an assault charge to his long list of numerous charges. Haven't gotten to it yet, but it won't take long. You were there when I listed the charges already against him, so this shouldn't come as a surprise."

"You knew about half those crimes that were committed in America—grand larceny and computer crimes—thanks to Lewis Dodgson, so I doubt they'll hold up in a court of law in Costa Rica. The attempted murder charge is bogus." Malcolm pointed out. "The only ones he should be facing are trespassing on InGen property and aggravated assault against John Hammond."

"Yep, it's just those two charges." Contreras snorted. "I bet you love being right all the time."

"You have no idea."

"Two charges that still carry a hefty sentence."

"What this about another charge being added?"

"A couple nights ago a man was placed in his cell and Dennis couldn't resist being a smart-ass. He got into a scuffle with him. Guess he's still sour from that beating he took…" Contreras' voice trailed off, fully aware of what he had revealed.

"So Robert was right," Malcolm said, more to himself than Contreras.

"The bottomline is he's not walking free. I'll start on the paperwork to transport, or rather, _extradite _him back to the States when I'm good and ready. Right now, he's locked up and there's not a damn thing you can do about it."

Malcolm's dark eyes held Contreras' beady eyes. "He's leaving this facility."

"I'm the one wearing the badge around here, so I call the shots. It's that simple."

"It's a piece of tin, an ornament that you hide behind so that you can get away with exerting your power over others." Malcolm's heart raced. He could feel himself getting worked up to the point where he'd start on a diatribe.

"He's due in court this afternoon," Contreras said, standing up from his desk, "and you're getting the hell out my sight. Escort him out and make sure he doesn't come back in the building."

Malcolm felt a rough hand on his shoulder. He turned around and saw the security guard from earlier glaring at him, ready to arrest him if he protested. Malcolm turned back to Contreras, who smirked.

"Get him out of here," Contreras ordered.

"I simply requested to speak to a prisoner."

"You can't speak to him."

"I'm coming back later." Malcolm stood up from his seat, taking the suitcase with him. "Watch and see."

"Do that—you'll end up sitting in the same cage as your pal."

"You'll see me in that courtroom," Malcolm said coolly. "Count on it. Justice is in the eye of the beholder. It's a thin line, isn't it?"

Contreras ignored him and opened the folder he had taken out.

The security guard grabbed Malcolm's arm. "You have to leave now."

"I don't have to do anything."

_"Now."_

Malcolm's knuckles had whitened from squeezing the suitcase's handle. He walked in front of the security guard, down the hallway, and past the desks, toward the lobby. The security guard was right behind him to make sure he left the building. Soon he was outside again, back from where he started. He set the suitcase down and glanced at his watch. It was eleven-thirty in the morning. He would return by one in the afternoon. By then, the court proceedings would've begun. _Contreras is in for a big surprise,_ Malcolm thought, as he left the facility.

**oOo**

He entered the courthouse at exactly one o'clock. Like all courthouses, he had to go through a metal detector and place whatever he had in his pockets on the conveyor belt. "The suitcase too," the court officer said.

Malcolm placed it down. He went through the metal detector and picked up his suitcase. Thankfully, it didn't ring. There was only money and some papers inside it, so he didn't expect there to be a problem. Looking around, he realized he didn't know which courtroom Nedry was in. The courthouse was three stories high with numerous courtrooms on each floor.

"I'm looking for a certain defendant who's scheduled to appear today before the judge. Do you know where I could find out which courtroom he's in?"

The court officer pointed at a posting nearby wall. The posting showed a list of defendants, the judge they were to stand before, and the courtroom number and floor.

"Thanks," Malcolm said, as he went over to the list.

He found what he was looking for. Nedry was scheduled to appear before the Honorable Judge Adela Rodriguez on the second floor in Room 221. Malcolm went down the hall and took the closest elevator to the second floor. As he ascended, he hoped this would go well. Contreras was in for a surprise.

**oOo**

The elevator's doors opened and Malcolm got off on the second floor and walked down a long hallway. On each side were courtrooms. He walked past them, reading the numbers and the names of the judges. Room 221. Beside the double doors on the wall read a plaque: _Honorable Judge Adela Rodriguez_. _This is it, _Malcolm told himself. He looked around the area and noticed clusters of people talking quietly since court was in session in several of the rooms. Some exited the courtrooms, while others entered. Most carried thick folders like the one Contreras had shown him earlier.

A tall slender man dressed in an expensive black suit entered the courtroom. Before the double doors completely closed, Malcolm caught a quick glimpse inside and saw the judge sitting on the bench. She was speaking in Spanish and looking down at someone who stood before her.

Mustering up his courage, Malcolm walked inside. The courtroom looked identical to American courtrooms except there was no jury box. Straight ahead, he saw the judge seated on the bench dressed in a black robe. Next to her were stacks of folders and binders, and the Costa Rican flag.

As he walked further into the courtroom, Malcolm found he wasn't the only spectator. There were four rows and all of them, save for the last one closest to the door, were filled with spectators. Malcolm figured they were family and friends of the accused, or there to give the crime victim help and support. Two people suddenly got up and stormed out of the courtroom, the doors slamming behind them. Malcolm heard them muttering in Spanish before they left and then looked ahead at what might've been the cause of their leaving the courtroom.

Three prisoners stood in front of the judge. All three were restrained with chains and heavily guarded by four court officers. Three more court officers were stationed around the courtroom along with a court bailiff. One person stood in front of the prisoners, speaking with the judge. Malcolm immediately recognized Contreras' voice. He went to the guardrail that separated him from the rest of the courtroom and remained standing, while he observed the procedure. Contreras continued speaking to the judge, unaware of Malcolm's entry.

Malcolm tried to follow and interpret whatever he was saying. It was hard since Contreras was talking in Spanish and Malcolm only knew a little. One prisoner turned around to see who had recently left and entered the courtroom—it was Nedry. The court officer directed him to face forward, but Nedry looked over his shoulder again at Malcolm.

"Dr. Malcolm! Dr. Malcolm!" Nedry called out. "We've got Dr. Malcolm here!"

The two prisoners next to him snickered and made loud whooping noises.

The judge slammed the gavel, silencing them.

Contreras turned around and pinpointed who he believed was the cause of the disruption. "Look who had the nerve to show his face." He appealed to the judge. "Your Honor, I'm going to request that this man be removed from the courtroom."

Judge Rodriguez glanced at Malcolm, who remained standing behind the guardrail. To Malcolm's surprise, she spoke in English. He had assumed she wasn't bilingual since Contreras was speaking Spanish to her. She pointed at him with her gavel.

"Take a seat, and wait patiently until I'm done with these proceedings."

"Thank you, but I'll remain standing."

"If you've come to disturb my courtroom, I'll have you escorted out by a court officer and thrown in jail next door. That's your final warning."

Malcolm reluctantly sat down in the first row and set the suitcase on the floor.

"Can we continue?" Contreras asked.

"Proceed," Judge Rodriguez commanded.

Contreras went back to speaking Spanish again and this time Malcolm was irritated. There was no translator present and Contreras could be making up stuff since Nedry couldn't defend himself. Apparently, Malcolm wasn't the only one who felt this way because Nedry turned around again, this time more forcefully, despite the court officer's firm grip on his arm. Nedry looked over at his one supporter.

"This isn't fair—he's been speaking Spanish the entire time. I don't know what he's saying. He's probably lying to get me more prison time!"

Judge Rodriguez slammed her gavel down. "If you interrupt again, you'll be thrown out of my courtroom. Am I clear?"

Nedry nodded; his expression sullen.

Malcolm stood up. _Maybe if I request a translator, she'll go along with it, _he thought. "Your Honor, may I please speak?"

Contreras pivoted around, pointing at him. "You shut your mouth!"

It was as though someone had flicked an "on" switch for disorder. The inmates started making a ruckus, shouting at the top of their lungs. They were soon joined by the spectators in the courtroom. Malcolm heard a cacophony of voices, both Spanish and English, shouting and blending into a crazed frenzy.

"MANUEL IS COMING HOME TODAY!"

"CHRISTIAN IS INNOCENT! FREE CHRISTIAN!"

Malcolm was tempted to join in when a middle-aged man ran passed him and climbed over the guardrail. Two court officers guarding the prisoners raced over and tackled the man on the ground. Nedry and the other two prisoners he was standing with backed away from where the two court officers restrained the spectator. At the same instant, another spectator rushed into the middle of the courtroom and punched Contreras in the face. Three court officers grabbed the spectator who had assaulted Contreras and threw him to the ground. Malcolm watched from where he was, completely astounded. He had never expected the courtroom to turn into a barroom brawl—and he didn't want to be blamed for starting it.

Malcolm quickly grabbed his suitcase and bolted to his feet. There was a thunderous stampeding noise from outside the courtroom and the double doors were thrown open. He didn't want to wait around and find out who had stormed into the courtroom. If he didn't get out of there soon, his entire plan would be squashed. Behind him, he heard the court officers shouting in Spanish and English at the spectators.

"CLEAR OUT NOW! WE'LL TELL YOU WHEN YOU CAN COME BACK IN. CLEAR OUT!"

Malcolm was surrounded by the spectators moving in a mass herd towards the exit. He looked over his shoulder, scanning the courtroom. Nedry huddled in the corner next to the other prisoners. They were protecting each other. If anyone lashed out against them, they wouldn't be able to defend themselves. A mob of police and court officers flooded the courtroom.

Malcolm tried to piece together what was happening, but everything was rushed like a video or DVD on fast forward. Nedry and the other two prisoners were whisked away through a side door, four court officers dragged out the two spectators in handcuffs, and the police surrounded Contreras. Judge Rodriguez watched in complete silence. She looked towards the back of the courtroom and Malcolm took that as his cue to leave before she got any ideas about following through with her threat to throw him in jail.

He left the courtroom and joined the spectators, who clamored around four police officers and shot out questions of when they would see their loved ones. Two court officers went inside to speak with the judge. Moments later, they returned to the group outside.

"Judge Rodriguez has adjourned the court for today," the court officer said. "She's reviewing all three cases for the rest of the day in her chambers. Only one family member or representative is permitted to come tomorrow on behalf of each prisoner who was in court today. Court will resume tomorrow promptly at 9am."

The court officer repeated the instructions in Spanish and then ordered everyone to leave the building. Malcolm followed the crowd into the elevator. _The chances of Dennis' case being dropped aren't too good, but there's always that one slight chance. _He shook his head at the unpredictability of everything that had occurred. _It's all chaos, _he mused.

**oOo**

The next morning Malcolm found himself in the same courtroom with the same court officers and bailiff, and the same judge. The only difference was Contreras' absence. He wondered what had happened to Contreras, but didn't dwell on it. Two spectators from yesterday sat in the same area as Malcolm. Like Malcolm, they were there to give support or advocate for a loved one or friend.

Judge Rodriguez asked the court officer to bring out Manuel Torres. A young woman in front of Malcolm stood up and requested to speak to the judge. Moments later, Torres was brought into the courtroom with a court officer by his side. Malcolm glanced at his watch. He expected that Nedry's case would be presented by mid-morning and he would do what he came to do—pay his bail or represent him—and then they'd leave. It shouldn't take long…

Hours passed. The judge ordered a recess and for everyone to return in an hour. Malcolm left and dragged himself back to the courtroom when the hour was over. By late afternoon, he had a sinking feeling Nedry's case wouldn't be heard today. Judge Rodriguez was now reviewing the second prisoner's case—someone named Christian Arias. At the end of the day, the two people who had came for Torres and Arias were told to return the next day. Malcolm received the same instructions. He left the courthouse in a daze and traveled back to the Adventure Inn.

Malcolm entered his room and glanced at the phone. The thought of calling Arnold to give him an update had crossed his mind during the day, but he didn't want to call with no news. Malcolm buried his face in his hands, frustrated. _I hope Lex is having an easier time doing her part, _he thought. Tomorrow would be a better day…it had to be.

**oOo**

_Three's a magic number, _Malcolm thought as he entered the courtroom the next day for the third time. He saw the same woman and man from yesterday and nodded politely at them. Judge Rodriguez came into the courtroom and everyone stood up to give her respect. Unlike the past two days, today's proceedings seemed rushed. Malcolm wasn't one to complain. An hour into the proceedings, a court officer escorted Nedry into the courtroom.

Malcolm sighed in relief when he saw him and stood up. "Your Honor, may I address the court?"

Judge Rodriguez squinted at him, recognizing him from several days before. "State your name, position, and affiliation."

"Ian Malcolm, mathematician. My affiliation is with International Genetics, InGen for short."

Judge Rodriguez nodded and shifted some papers in front of her. "InGen…that sounds familiar. You're from that island off the coast—Isla Nublar."

"It's the island that John Hammond, InGen's C.E.O., leased from the Costa Rican government several years ago."

Judge Rodriguez nodded. "You're here on behalf of Dennis Nedry?"

"Yes, Your Honor. I came to pay his bail."

She looked through one of the several folders in front of her. "He doesn't have bail set. The case gets dismissed with the charges dropped or he stays incarcerated. You can advocate on his behalf." She now focused her attention on Nedry, who stood in front of her. "You've been charged with trespassing on InGen property and aggravated assault."

Nedry nodded, but said nothing in his defense. Malcolm wasn't sure if that meant Nedry was agreeing he was guilty of the charges, or if he simply acknowledged them by remaining silent.

"Is there anything you'd like to tell the court?"

Nedry was silent again and Malcolm wondered if he should intercede right now. He had plenty to say about both charges, but decided to see if Nedry would speak on his own. Then he realized one positive in the situation: the extra assault charge that Contreras had threatened to add to Nedry's criminal record hadn't been mentioned. Malcolm smiled grimly.

"I was on InGen property because I used to work there."

"Go on," Judge Rodriguez demanded.

"The last time I came on the property I had important information to tell the InGen staff. The other times…" Nedry shook his head. "The other times weren't for good reasons, but the last time was to help them."

"What were you going to help them with?"

"Give them information about the competition…that's all." Nedry shrugged. He didn't turn around to acknowledge Malcolm as he had done several days ago.

"And the aggravated assault charge? Who are you accused of assaulting?"

"John Hammond."

Judge Rodriguez blinked, shocked. "You assaulted your boss?"

"I didn't mean for it to happen—I was trying to get him out of there."

Malcolm had been holding his breath and let it out slowly when he heard Nedry speak. Obviously, none of this was going to work in Nedry's favor unless he spoke up for him. Malcolm glanced at Judge Rodriguez, who stared at Nedry. It was hard to tell if the puzzled look on her face was her admiring Nedry's honesty or revulsion for his actions.

"I've heard enough from you. Señor Malcolm, do you wish to address the court regarding these charges?"

Malcolm stepped forward. "Yes, Your Honor."

"Proceed."

"The first charge: trespassing on InGen property. As a representative of the company, I'm asking the court to drop this charge. Mr. Nedry told the court the truth in regards to why he came upon the premises. In fact, he told me himself that the reason he returned to the island was to help the staff by warning them about their competitors."

Judge Rodriguez didn't look completely convinced, but she nodded. "Regardless of whether he was there to help or not—trespassing is illegal."

"I'm not questioning that, Your Honor, and neither is he. In fact, he is well aware of the consequences for doing it, and experienced some already. As for the second charge: aggravated assault against John Hammond…" Malcolm paused, as he thought quickly for a plausible explanation. "I request for this charge to be dropped because Mr. Nedry didn't directly assault Mr. Hammond. His actions and previous arguing led to Mr. Hammond's current residence at the CIMA Hospital—but again," he made sure to emphasis his next point, "Mr. Nedry didn't directly assault him. He didn't physically attack him."

"The report in front of me states the defendant shook Señor Hammond and pushed him to the ground, and then continued to harass him," Judge Rodriguez said.

The courtroom was deathly silent.

Malcolm noticed that Nedry was staring at the floor. He obviously felt ashamed for what was being said about him—and possibly, ashamed of his actions that had hurt Hammond and the rest of InGen. Malcolm was amazed to see his reaction—it was completely different from when he attended Nedry's initial trial in the States. Back then, Nedry had entered and left the courtroom smiling, proud that he had betrayed Hammond. Now was an entirely different matter. Just then, Nedry looked up and started to turn towards Malcolm before the court officer directed him to face Judge Rodriguez.

"It was unintentional," Malcolm finally said. "It was not premeditated or deliberately done. If the charge cannot be dropped, can it be reduced to a lesser one?"

"That's possible. What is Señor Hammond's present condition?"

"He's recovering from a stroke and doing well thanks to the hospital's rehab programs. The court should also know that Mr. Hammond was showing symptoms long before the stroke occurred. Much of the charges are a result of a severe misunderstanding."

"A misunderstanding is not the equivalence of innocence in this courtroom," Judge Rodriguez responded. "Nor does dropping charges mean an accused person is innocent."

Malcolm nodded to show he understood and respected what she said. He knew it was in his best interest to not argue against her, given her authority in the courtroom. Then it occurred to him what to present to Judge Rodriguez to conclude his case.

"Your Honor, if I may give more information regarding Mr. Nedry."

"Go ahead."

"The first is that Mr. Nedry has shown remorse for his actions. He visited Mr. Hammond during his hospital stay—this was before the alleged trespassing that he's being charged with. The second is that Mr. Nedry was denied medical care for a period of time under Contreras' custody, which is criminal in itself. Based on those two things, along with what I have already presented, I'm requesting that the court drop the charges against him and close his case."

There was a long silence. Judge Rodriguez nodded slowly, but didn't speak. Malcolm figured she must be considering everything he had said. He wanted to add that Nedry had paid for his crimes many times over, but decided to leave that last part unsaid. Nedry stood in front of Judge Rodriguez with the court officer guarding him. He shifted and Malcolm heard the unmistakable clink of shackles. It chilled Malcolm to hear that sound and he earnestly hoped that today would be his last time in the courtroom. Finally, Judge Rodriguez addressed the court.

"I'm calling for a recess. Everyone return here within the hour. By then, I'll have made a decision regarding all three cases." She slammed her gavel down and then left to go to her chambers.

Malcolm sighed, exasperated. _Why can't she decide now? _He watched the court officer escort Nedry through a side entrance. Turning back to the other two spectators, Malcolm saw the impatience in their faces. He felt the same way, but since there was nothing he could do, he decided to leave the building and come back within the expected hour. By then, he would finally find out if his plan had been successfully accomplished.

**oOo**

An hour later, Malcolm returned to the courtroom and waited with the other two spectators. The court officers brought the three inmates back into the courtroom and arranged single file in front of Judge Rodriguez. Nedry was last on line.

Malcolm listened as Judge Rodriguez gave her final say in each case. The first prisoner, Torres, was given thirty hours of community service and due in court a month from now. The young woman present for Torres sighed—both in resignation and gratitude. The next prisoner, Arias, had his charges dropped. According to Judge Rodriguez, he had been arrested under false charges. Malcolm had a feeling that Arias had a run-in with Contreras. He was glad an innocent man was let free. Now it came down to Nedry.

"Last, but not least," Judge Rodriguez said, holding up Nedry's record, "the charges have been dropped and I'm closing your case. You're expected to leave this courtroom today to do the right thing for the company you used to work for. I want to you leave here today with your mind set on helping the people you offended. Right your wrongs. Got it?"

Nedry nodded. "Thank you."

Malcolm could barely hear him, but it didn't matter. Nedry was free to go!

"Everyone can go next door to the facility and wait outside by the entrance," Judge Rodriguez instructed. "The court officers are going to bring them back to the facility and have their belongings returned to them, and then they'll be released." She repeated the instructions in Spanish and then dismissed the court.

Malcolm left with the other two spectators and followed them to the detention center next door where a crowd of people were waiting. Moments later, three newly freed men walked out. Malcolm watched as the first two men, Torres and Arias, were greeted with open arms by their family and friends. Gone were the orange jumpsuits, now they wore street clothes. As the family and friends chatted happily in Spanish with the two men, Malcolm looked around for Nedry.

Nedry walked by himself and looked out of place. He wore the same navy blue maintenance uniform he had been arrested in, and kept looking over his shoulder as though expecting a police or court officer to haul him back to the jail. He gave a high-five to the other two freed prisoners and then made his way to Malcolm.

"Finally," Malcolm said. "That took long enough."

He glanced up at the sky. It had grown dark and gray and piles of thunderclouds blocked the sun. Raindrops pattered down here and there.

"Everything takes forever with them," Nedry said, pointing at the courthouse. "Thanks for speaking up for me back there…I didn't expect that." He looked genuinely surprised and grateful.

"I wasn't expecting them to let you off."

"I'm just glad I'm out of there; I couldn't take one more day sitting in that smelly jail cell."

They started towards several taxicabs parked across the street. Nedry turned around to give the facility one last look.

"Adiós Contreras! Your corruption finally landed you behind bars! Good for your dumb-ass."

Malcolm jolted when he heard Nedry. That reminded him…

"This might be a weird question, but what happened to him?"

Nedry grinned devilishly. "The question is, Dr. Malcolm, what _didn't _happen to him? That crooked cop landed himself in the slammer for making up false charges about Arias—my cellmate. He tweaked the other guy's record and made things far worse than they were, and he didn't allow me to see the doctor for the longest time. I don't know how you knew about that, but it didn't work in his favor. There's more if you want to hear it."

Malcolm shrugged. "Sure."

"He got in trouble for erasing someone's record of arrest."

"Wait—how do you know all this?"

"I overheard the guards talking about it."

Lightning jagged across the sky and thunder boomed. A sudden downpour came and Malcolm and Nedry rushed to the nearest cab. Before they reached it, they were soaked in rain.

"Take us to the Adventure Inn," Malcolm said as he got in the backseat.

Nedry got in next to him. "Adventure Inn? I've been there before, it's near the airport."

"That's correct."

"Before we do that, can we please go to a clothing store? I need new clothes."

Malcolm nodded. He tapped the cabby's shoulder. "Know of any clothing stores nearby?"

The cabby didn't answer him.

"_Ropa_!" Nedry called to the cab driver. "See, I learned some Spanish while locked up."

"Yes, you certainly did." Malcolm set the suitcase down.

The cab sped the road. The windshield wipers flicked back and forth as the rain sloshed down.

"What's in the suitcase?" Nedry asked, pointing at it.

Malcolm noticed that Nedry pointed to the suitcase with his left hand. His right hand was swathed in white bandages from the tips of his fingers to an inch above his wrist. Wooden splints kept his fingers apart. He saw that in the courtroom, but didn't pay much attention to it at the time. Nedry also had a black and blue bruise under his right eye and a bandage on the left side of his face. Malcolm reminded himself to ask him about it later.

"That was your bail money," Malcolm said. "I was going to pay bail to get you out. Thanks to Contreras doing himself in, I didn't have to spend a colón note."

"You also want to credit your persuasive skills. You make a better lawyer than Gennaro. It's good you didn't have to use the money."

"I bailed you out without bailing you out," Malcolm observed wryly.

"Thanks again for that. I was expecting to spend more months in the Costa Rican jail system—it's worse than the States."

"Don't mention it."

Malcolm grabbed the door handle. The cab driver was driving too fast, considering the lousy weather. He thought of Contreras again, not because he felt sorry for him, but because he figured if Contreras had finally paid his comeuppance, then it was only a matter of time before Dodgson and his lousy team got what they deserved.

"What do you think will happen to him in jail?"

"The same thing that happens to all cops who land in the big house: they're greeted with open arms."

Malcolm raised his eyebrows. His interactions with Nedry were few, but he was familiar with his excessive sarcasm.

"You mean the inmates will beat him up if they don't put him in protective custody."

"Yep, it just goes to show you there's justice in the world after all," Nedry said, grinning. Then he turned serious. "I bet that's something Robert would say; him being righteous and all—it's not a bad thing, it's actually a good quality."

**oOo**

Malcolm stood by the window of his motel room, watching the rain pour down. The Adventure Inn was surrounded by the mountains of San José and located in a quiet remote area away from the city life. It was best to stay there until it was time to go back to Isla Nublar. _Lex and Dr. Grant should be on their way,_ Malcolm thought, _it's been a few days, so I'm sure she's found him and told him everything._ There was a loud knock on his door.

"It's open," Malcolm called.

Nedry walked into the room wearing the new clothes Malcolm had brought him before returning to the motel. He went to stand by Malcolm by the window. They stood watching the rain not saying anything. Finally, Nedry spoke.

"So why'd you bail me out? Something's up."

Malcolm sighed. There was so much to tell, and they weren't leaving the inn anytime soon. He considered calling room service and decided to do that in a little while.

"You were absolutely dead on…you were right."

"So are you, when it comes to your ideas."

"You were right about what you told us that night."

Nedry stared out the window. "Henry turned on you guys?"

"He really did." Malcolm spoke quietly, remembering the staff's reaction when Wu finally made it known whom he stood with.

"He was pissed off that night because I blew his cover." Nedry laughed at the memory, and then turned somber. "How did the staff take it?"

Malcolm shook his head. "Not well at all. He was showing signs after you and Robert disappeared that night, but it didn't come into fruition until you two came back. Then he totally aligned himself with them."

"_'Them'_," Nedry repeated.

"You know who I'm referring to?"

Nedry lifted his left pointer finger to the window that had fogged up, and spelled out a name in capital letters: _BIOSYN_.

"What happened to your hand?"

"Dodgson happened." Nedry wiped "BIOSYN" from the window with his bandaged hand.

"They've completely taken over the park, the island, the staff…everything. If Dodgson has his way, InGen will become extinct—pardon the expression."

"He's wanted to do that for a long time. I've seen him in action, he's aggressive and vicious, and stops at nothing to get what he wants. That's why I came to warn the InGen staff."

"And to atone for the wrongs you committed against them?"

"You can say that." Nedry shrugged. "It was the least I could do at the time."

Malcolm was quiet for a moment as he thought about Nedry said. He remembered the arguments between Arnold and Muldoon about if Nedry had changed or not. Based on this small exchange, Malcolm was able to understand Muldoon's perspective.

"The reason I got you out is because we need your help. We also need Dr. Grant's assistance. Lex is going to find him in the States, and meet us back here. I'm hoping he'll return with her. It will help the staff to know someone from InGen is aligned with them."

"This is very well planned," Nedry said, keeping his gaze outside the window.

"It's a crazy plan—"

"A good one, nonetheless. What's my part in this?"

_Finally, we got to this point,_ Malcolm thought. He had been anticipating explaining to Nedry his role in dethroning Dodgson and his gang.

"Will you help us against Biosyn?"

"Without a doubt."

"And not just because Judge Rodriguez told you to—I bailed you out with the intention of you helping us."

"Even if she hadn't ordered me to do it, I'd still help InGen. I don't want them there—no one does except Dodgson and his cronies. He'll run that park into the ground if he's not stopped."

Malcolm felt overwhelmingly relieved. This had been easier than he expected. He didn't know for sure how Nedry would help them, but he knew he would be invaluable in aiding InGen.

"I'll school you right now; give you a brief lesson in Dodgson 101."

"Excuse me?" He was thrown off by Nedry's lingo. "I just want to know what he'll do at this point."

"In order to know that, you have to know him. You must know your enemy in order to take him down."

"Right. That's completely logical."

"What's he done so far?"

"Crush the staff—more like suffocate them by having a Biosyn employee micromanage their every move. Harass Ellie, take over John's bungalow, blame Gerry for the animals getting sick, entice Donald into following his every whim, take advantage of the division between Robert and Ray, sway Henry to his side…is there anything I'm leaving out? He's made everyone miserable and ensures no one leaves the island, although Lex and I managed to do it."

"How'd you both escape?"

"Lex told Dodgson she wanted to visit Hammond. Tembo came along and we set him up."

"So that's how he got arrested." Nedry laughed. "We shared a cell that night and got into a fist fight. He got me pretty good since I have one good hand," he pointed at his face, "but I got him good too."

"I'm glad you did." Malcolm redirected them back to the main topic at hand. "Dodgson also wants to run the park under Biosyn's name."

"The stuff you described before sounds like him. He relishes in killing people's spirits. He tried that with me, and it worked for a little while…" Nedry shook his head. "He's got another thing coming to him. Anyway, he has bigger things in mind, and I mean _much _bigger things."

"Such as?"

"Knowing him, controlling the staff isn't enough. He wants ownership of the entire island, and that's where you stop him in his tracks. You thwart him and throw his stupid goals to the wind where they're blown away for good."

Malcolm's eyebrows knitted together in confusion as he thought about what Nedry told him. "Give me exact details."

"It's simple!" Nedry said excitedly, as though he expected Malcolm to already know this. "Dodgson _hates _failure. He hates when his team fails to do as he says," he pointed at himself, "and he hates it when others don't carry out his bogus assignments the way he wants. He hates when anyone doesn't follow his lead. You follow me?"

Malcolm nodded.

"So imagine how pissed off he'd be if _HE _was the one who failed."

It sounded so simple, so easy—and yet so far out of Malcolm's grasp. Just how exactly would Nedry or InGen make Dodgson fail?

"If he wants to impress the big-shots at Biosyn, which he plans on doing, then the best way to bring him down is to cause him to fail with whatever he has planned for Jurassic Park. That's where you get him."

Malcolm frowned. "I get it, but I'm lost."

"You're not lost. You know exactly what I'm talking about. You mentioned it before."

"I did?"

"You said he wants to open Jurassic Park under Biosyn's name."

"He's been saying that ever since you and Robert were stranded on Sorna—"

"When Lewis Dodgson says he wants to do something outrageous, take him at his word. He doesn't screw around."

Malcolm folded his arms across his chest, impatient. He needed solid input from Nedry as to what he would do to help InGen. He didn't want to go back to the island without a plan. He needed an idea of how they would thwart Dodgson.

"I want to know how you will help us against him."

Nedry locked eyes with Malcolm. "I will help you the best way I know."

"What do you mean?" Now Malcolm was confused. It crossed his mind that he had put his trust in a traitor. He didn't know for sure if Nedry would switch back to Biosyn.

"Meaning I will help you and InGen, but it won't be on your terms—or the way you want or expect."

Malcolm thought about what Nedry said. He could count on that if it meant Lewis Dodgson and his team were eventually removed from Isla Nublar and Jurassic Park. He just hoped it happened sooner than later.

"That's risky," Nedry said, confirming his earlier thoughts, "putting your trust in a traitor." He turned away from the window. The rain still poured down.

Malcolm nodded and remembered he wanted to order room service. Right now would be the perfect time since it was established that Nedry would aid InGen in ridding the island of Biosyn. He picked up the phone and then set it down. This time, it was Malcolm who held Nedry's eyes. He remembered Gennaro's, and especially Arnold's thoughts that Nedry couldn't be fully trusted. Malcolm was very serious by what he said next, and he hoped Nedry was as serious as him.

"That's a risk I'm willing to take."

* * *

**Author's Notes:** Hi! Just wanted to mention the whole idea of the courtroom and the facility connected or right next door to each other is purely fictional in this story. It's not what is really out there in Costa Rica, but for the sake of the story, I wrote it that way. In one of my previous jobs, the facility was next to the courthouse, so that's what this section of the fic is based on. Also, for those interested in what happened with Lex's trip, and hoping for Grant's return-stay tuned for the next chapter. Thank you!

**- Sassy Lil Scorpio**


	12. Lex's Hope and Grant's Decision

**Lex's Hope and Grant's Decision**

Although she rarely spoke about it to anyone, except with her brother, Lex Murphy had many thoughts about the events that had occurred after her sixteenth birthday. Looking back at the times when living on the island was fun and peaceful seemed like a faded dream. She remembered the happier experiences vividly, but it seemed unreal and far away.

She had more than enough time to rehash these thoughts in her mind since traveling to Alan Grant's destination was time consuming. Getting from Costa Rica to the States wasn't as bad as she expected, it only took three hours. Once in the States, she had to be patient as the next flight from Miami International Airport in Florida made two stops before landing in Montana. Lex was glad (and relieved) that she was almost there.

Presently, she was in a taxi cab heading to Montana State University. She remembered Grant spoke fondly of MSU as his home away from home. She had arrived in the Gallatin Field airport yesterday. It was perfect since it was very close to MSU. She stayed overnight at a tiny motel, deciding to rest and then take a cab to the university the following day. By the time she reached the Museum of the Rockies at MSU, Grant should still be there based on what he had left on his itinerary.

Montana was a beautiful state, quiet and peaceful. Lex marveled at the snowcapped mountains that overlooked the sparse area, the smooth greenery—just the aura of the state made her feel relaxed. She could understand why Grant wanted to be away from the island. With that thought in mind, Lex went back to thinking about the situation on Isla Nublar.

Even though the adults pretended everything was fine in front of John Hammond, Tim and Lex were aware of what was really going on. She knew information was being kept from her grandfather ever since the first time she saw him go off on the park staff in the cafeteria. That night, Robert Muldoon looked like he had been involved in a nasty brawl and Ray Arnold stared at his plate, ashamed. She and Tim had many discussions about Biosyn's first two invasions in the staff lodge's recreation room when no one was around.

"It's wrong for them not to tell him anything."

"I know," Tim had agreed. "It's his park; he should know what's going on."

"Why won't they tell him? Why don't they want him to know? He's going to find out."

Tim had given her question serious thought.

"Maybe they're afraid of losing their jobs or of not getting paid."

"But they're not on the same side as Biosyn—it's not their fault they're invading the island," Lex had responded.

_Now I'm helping to untangle the mess on the island,_ Lex thought. She had wanted to speak up many times, especially when Ellie had ran into Nedry and Lawala at the dilophosaur paddock. Nedry was the last person she wanted to see, since her grandfather always became upset whenever his name was mentioned. He had spoken to Lex that day and she wanted no part of him. Ellie understood that, but when Nedry asked about Hammond, she had urged Lex to respond.

Later on, Lex thought about Ellie's decision to help Lawala. Maybe she shouldn't say anything since Ellie was older and was probably doing what she thought was the right thing. Lex knew what happened to Ellie last time Biosyn showed up on the island. Lawala had shot her in the leg and after that she refused to be involved with anything that occurred on the island during Hammond's absence. Still, she had told Lex not to say anything to her grandfather.

When Nedry released the raptors, there were no more secrets to be kept from her grandfather. If anyone had asked her about the situation, Lex would've told them she saw his stroke coming long before it actually occurred. She knew he loved to be involved with the company's projects. There were times where he spent his entire day in Jurassic Park watching the dinosaurs. Taking afternoon naps several times a week was very unlike him. Arnold had once mentioned that Hammond's age had something to do with his reoccurring naps at midday, but Lex knew i was more. Unfortunately for Hammond, this turned out to be the case.

On the other hand, Hammond wasn't one to admit when he had problems—be it personal or professional. Lex knew he was stubborn at times. He didn't like listening to Malcolm or anyone who held opposing views. Malcolm often told him the park was an "accident waiting to happen", and to this day, Hammond scoffed at the idea that his dream was doomed for failure. If he didn't listen to what people thought of his outlandish ideas, why would he listen to advice about his health and well-being? It was a shame because now he was in a situation he hated. He didn't have to say it directly for Lex to know it. Hammond's was never one to be confined, and she knew he couldn't stand being cooped up in the hospital.

Thankfully, he was making amazing progress. She used to be afraid that her grandfather would never leave the hospital, but after her last visit with Malcolm, she felt more hopeful. Even the doctor said he was making strides in therapy. Lex figured her grandfather might have to use a walker from now on, but to her, that was better than using the wheelchair. He had used a walking cane before, anyway, so it wasn't so bad. She wanted him back since he was the only relative, aside from Tim, that she had close ties with.

Her parents...

No one brought up the idea of contacting her parents. Lex found that unusual, but then again, she didn't want to return to the States to live with her parents, and she had a feeling that Tim felt the same way. Amidst their own ruined relationship, their parents had simply dumped them on their grandfather. Lex hadn't even received a phone call or a card on her sixteenth birthday. If her parents wanted to pretend that she (and Tim) didn't exist, then she figured she'd treat them the same way. She wondered how they were doing from time to time, but the truth was Tim and Hammond were the only blood relatives she felt close to. The park staff was more of family to her, as she had told Ellie in her letter. Malcolm, Ellie, and Grant too were included in this new family that Lex and Tim had embraced every since the park inspection.

She smiled when she thought of the park staff and Tim's journal entries. Tim always scribbled his thoughts on the back of his sketchpad, and at times, his writings mirrored Lex's thoughts and feelings. Lex had read his last entry that detailed what happened when Muldoon and Nedry returned. She had been amazed at how accurately he wrote about the park staff being like family.

Arnold considered their opinions and always thought about how his decisions impacted them. Harding invited Tim to accompany him during his tasks in the park. They didn't act kind towards them because they felt obligated to Hammond, or because they'd receive a higher paycheck. Arnold and Harding sincerely cared about them. They regarded Tim and Lex as if they were their own children, protecting them and ensuring their safety.

Although distant at times, Muldoon was there for them whenever they needed him. Lex usually felt awkward around him. Tim joked that it was because Lex had a crush on him, like she used to with Grant, but she knew it wasn't that. Muldoon didn't show his emotions, and most times he appeared cold. He kept his distance from Hammond's grandchildren, but showed enough interest for them to know that he cared. She had wanted to say more to him after he and Grant had destroyed the raptors. If not for Muldoon and Grant, Hammond would've been killed. She hoped Muldoon understood her appreciation. After he vanished from the island, Lex prayed he would come back alive. She wasn't sure if Nedry had done something to him, as some of the park staff had feared, she just wanted him back.

When he finally returned, it was completely unexpected. She had always wanted to ask him about those two months when he was missing, but Lex had a feeling he wouldn't discuss it. She knew it had to do with Nedry because it caused a divide between him and Arnold. She remembered how he had sat alone in the cafeteria before joining her and Tim. Muldoon had looked devastated, definitely not himself. What mattered was that he was back. When Muldoon was on the island, she felt safe; without him there, she was afraid of an animal escaping and no one around to bring it down.

Lex shivered when she thought of those she didn't feel safe around.

At one time, Wu had been friendly towards her and Tim, and would invite them to the genetics lab. She had fully trusted him until Thorne arrived on the island. Afterwards, Wu became aloof. There was a noticeable difference in his coldness as compared to Muldoon keeping his distance from everyone. Muldoon had a no-nonsense attitude about him, but was approachable. He took his job seriously since he dealt with dangerous animals everyday.

Wu was a different story.

Over time, Wu became cold and more focused on Thorne's—Dodgson's goals (because Lex had to remind herself of who Thorne really was) and less interested in the park staff's concerns. She was thrown off when Wu and Gennaro had allowed Dodgson and his assistants into her grandfather's bungalow, even though they knew it was off limits to everyone. She wasn't surprised when Muldoon told her and Tim to keep away from Wu. He wasn't the man he used to be, or as Muldoon had phrased it, the man everyone thought he was.

Gennaro's main focus was to open the park to the public. Lex and Tim were met with the same conclusion: Gennaro didn't really care about what happened to Hammond. His pretense about "John would want it open" was a transparent mask for his true agenda. He had never expressed an interest in Tim or Lex, and carried on as though they were uncontrollable delinquent orphans. She didn't regret the times she had yelled at him; if anything, he always appeared shocked that Lex would stand up to him. No one else did, except for Malcolm and Ellie on a few occassions. Gennaro pushed everyone around, especially Arnold. Someone had to put him in his place, even if it was just Lex, who was almost eighteen years old. Lex might be younger, but she didn't think it took a genius to see how much Gennaro made others miserable to make himself look good in his eyes.

Lex had never trusted the so-called "Cameron Thorne." He was artificial and full of empty promises. After everything the staff had been through, she didn't believe he could waltz onto the island and pretend his presence would change night to day. Underneath his "I'll solve all your problems" façade, Lex sensed sinister vibes from him. Thorne wasn't concerned about the InGen staff. He revealed his true self in the way he treated Tim and didn't care if Muldoon and Nedry never returned alive.

And she never liked the way he leered at Ellie, when he thought no one was watching.

Lex swallowed a lump in her throat when she thought about Ellie and Tim having to stay with Dodgson while she and Malcolm carried out their plan. Dodgson wasn't content to just destroy InGen; he took pride in wrecking personal relationships among the park staff. He had been watching Ellie ever since he showed up on the island. Lex remembered sensing sheer fright radiate from Ellie when he had showed up at the greenhouse and kicked out Tim and Lex. Ellie didn't want to be alone in the same room as Dodgson. She wondered if Malcolm knew what had occurred that day. _He'll get what's coming to him,_ Lex thought. _He can't take over my grandfather's company, demean El, and think he's going to get away with it._

"We should be there in five minutes," the cab driver called from up front.

"Thank you."

The coldness that had encased Lex when she thought about Wu, Gennaro, and Dodgson melted away. Now her heart pounded with joy and excitement because she was minutes away from seeing Grant again.

_He has to come back, even if he's upset about Dr. Malcolm and El._ Grant wouldn't expect to see her, but when she explained what was going on at Isla Nublar, it should be enough to bring him back. _He can't stay mad at them forever._ The adults always tried to cover up what was really going on. Either that or they figured they were going about their daily lives with no one watching them. Lex didn't tell Malcolm at the airport _why _she thought Grant had left and would be reluctant to return. Even so, she hoped that he would reconsider and come back. It was this hope that kept her going and motivated her to take flight after flight. _He has to come back; _she repeated to herself like a mantra, _he has to come back…_

Lex knew something was going on ever since the inspection. Ellie and Grant had talked amongst themselves during the tour with Malcolm always hovering nearby. At first, she thought Grant and Ellie were together as a romantic couple. Later on, Ellie explained the actual relationship between them.

"Dr. Grant is my professor." She had smiled that forced smile; Lex would become familiar with it in time. It was a strange smile that flashed across Ellie's face whenever she felt uncomfortable. "I've taken several of his courses at Montana State University while working on my doctorate. We still work together on research and excavations."

They had been in the greenhouse on a Sunday afternoon. Lex had sat at a table, placing compost and soil into a flower pot. "I thought you liked him."

"I like him, but not in a romantic way." Ellie had turned to her. "Let me guess—you and Tim thought he was my boyfriend."

"Actually, we thought he was your husband."

Ellie had laughed. "He's my mentor."

Lex had frowned, puzzled. She thought Grant was a good-looking man, even if he was many years older than her. Why didn't Ellie feel the same way?

"You don't think he's cute?"

"He's nice-looking, yes…but I don't date my professors…" Her voice had trailed off and an awkward silence had filled the room. "I mean, we've met together several times…to discuss my studies and future career in paleobotany…" She had bit her lip then, and when she met Lex's eyes, Lex knew to drop the subject.

From then on, Lex noticed the tension between Grant and Malcolm whenever they interacted. Malcolm was easygoing and funny in a quirky way. Whenever he was around Ellie, he'd stutter with his "ah", "uh", and "um" as though he couldn't get his words out right when he was around her. He used to do that more often, but not as much now. It was so obvious Malcolm wanted Ellie! He'd ramble on about chaos theory to whoever listened—often times, Ellie lent him an ear. Malcolm enjoyed intellectual debates, as if he needed brain stimulation to survive.

Grant behaved coldly towards him, refusing to entertain his conversations about phase space, and Malcolm pretended not to notice. He would make loaded remarks about chaos theory and predictability, in regards to Jurassic Park and real life situations. Grant would send him a blank stare as if he wanted Malcolm to shut up and keep his thoughts to himself. He wasn't outward with his annoyance as Lex observed that Grant kept most emotions to himself. This only worsened the situation because then Ellie couldn't tackle it head on.

Still, Grant could only keep his feelings inside for so long. The strain between all three was noticeable to everyone on the island. By the time he left, it was obvious to Lex. Never mind the lectures and conferences he had to attend. Lex planned to ask Grant about his exact reasons for leaving the island. A part of her was annoyed that he hadn't called the island during his trip—not even once. It seemed so unlike Grant that she knew she had to ask him about it. She would make sure to ask him about subjects tactfully. She wasn't trying to pry into Grant's personal business, but she wanted to make it clear to him that no matter how bad he felt about Ellie and Malcolm; the park staff still missed and appreciated him. Grant needed to know that.

"Here we are," the cab driver said. "Museum of the Rockies, right on the south side of MSU. Is this your first time here?"

Lex looked around her at the flat green lawns of the college campus. They were nearing a large concrete building complete with glass panes above the entrance. On the right side etched into the building in capital letters read: _MUSEUM OF THE ROCKIES._ In front of the museum, an adult tyrannosaur skeleton (or so Lex thought it was, since she'd seen the one displayed in the visitor center countless times) was propped up outside, greeting arriving visitors. Several other buildings loomed behind and next to the first one, it was bigger than Lex expected and she hadn't even gone inside yet.

"Yes, this is my first time. Have you been inside the museum?"

"I've been here many times with my kids. You know about Jack Horner, the famous paleontologist?"

Lex nodded. Grant had mentioned him before. "I've heard of him."

"We've got our share of famous people out here in Montana. He's the curator of paleontology for the museum."

"That's really cool."

"They have some really nice things in there, an awesome planetarium, beautiful photography collections…" The cab driver pulled up in front of the musuem. "Enjoy your time."

"Thank you," Lex said. She dug into her duffel bag for cash.

The driver counted the cash and gave her back three singles. "Thanks, have a good day."

"You too," Lex said and exited out of the cab with her belongings.

It was a warm day, the sky was clear without a cloud in sight. That should be a good sign for the future. Lex approached the doors, taking in the surroundings. She could only imagine how much ancient beauty the building housed. Finally inside, Lex took a deep breath as her heart hammered inside her chest. She was in the same building with Grant—he was in here—and she believed in her heart that she would walk out with him. He was coming back to the island. She had come too far to turn back and leave by herself.

In the lobby, she came across a large sign that explained the purpose behind the Museum of the Rockies.

_**Montana and the Northern Rockies are changing by the minute. The Museum of the Rockies believes that we need to safeguard the objects from our past that tell the stories of this remarkable place, those that remind us who we are and where we came from. We believe in challenging visitors to understand how objects that carry messages from our past can change the way we see the present, and the future.**_

There was more to the mission statement. Lex skimmed over it. She could understand why Grant had visited here; as well as being on the MSU staff, he loved natural history. The museum was home to Native American artifacts, exhibitions, photography, and textiles. There was a permanent exhibition of a 19th century farm, fully operational, that displayed Montana's agricultural history and tradition. Hundreds of thousands of years of history were preserved in the museum.

Best of all, the museum boasted to have the largest collection of dinosaur remains—even more than the Smithsonian Institute or the American Museum of Natural History. A poster designed in newspaper print was framed on one of the walls. In bold letters, the poster proclaimed that MSU's very own Museum of the Rockies now possessed the largest tyrannosaur skull ever discovered—nearly five feet! Lex was wondering if Grant had seen the skull, when she heard someone walk up behind her.

"Welcome to the museum! Would you like to hear about our programs? Is this your first time visiting?"

Lex turned around to find a smiling young man in his mid-twenties.

Clutching her duffel bag, she returned the smile. "This is my first time here…I was wondering about the paleontology section?"

The man nodded. "Right now, in the Hall of Horns and Teeth we have an exhibit called '_Dinosaurs Under the Big Sky'_. It's in the Siebel Dinosaur Complex."

Lex sighed in relief. Grant's itinerary was accurate. "That's where I'd like to go…is there a lecture taking place now?"

The man glanced at his watch. "Yes, it's in the Hager Auditorium. The lecture started at two-thirty p.m. and will end around four-thirty p.m. It's six-fifty for five to eighteen year olds to enter the exhibit and nine dollars for adults."

"Perfect."

"Just follow me this way, and you can pay your admission fee. From there you can take some brochures and be on your way."

Lex followed the young man to the counter and paid her fee. While she waited for him to give back her change, she figured she'd ask about the exhibit.

"What exactly is 'Dinosaurs Under the Big Sky'?"

"It's an exhibit showing dinosaur sculptures, tons of fossils, and sound effects. It's basically the Cretaceous Era brought back to life. Tyrannosaurs, triceratops'—you know, the usual dinosaurs that everyone knows about. The exhibit is supposed to make you rethink what we know about dinosaurs."

"Sounds cool." _Tim would love to be here._ Lex thought about bringing him back a souvenir before reminding herself that her visit was strictly business. The man gave back her change and gave her directions on how to reach the Siebel Dinosaur Complex. After thanking the man, Lex went to find the complex.

**oOo**

Lex wandered around the exhibit for a little while, stopping to read information and admire the dinosaur sculptures. They were very life-like, and it amused her that she had seen real dinosaurs, or at least, genetically-engineered dinosaurs on her grandfather's island. She sat on a bench and pulled the brochures out of her bag. Children with bright smiles graced the brochures, along with pictures of dinosaurs, old black and white photographs, and pictures of Native American artifacts. Each brochure had the museum's logo "Touch History" imprinted on them and offered information about children and family programs, travel programs, educational workshops and lectures, the planetarium, other services, and a list of related places to visit.

A tear stung Lex's eye as she thought about the Jurassic Park brochures back on the island. Her grandfather had wanted them perfectly made so that they reflected a hint of the spectacular sights visitors would see within the park's gates.

Lex put the brochures away and sighed. She knew she was stalling. The small auditorium was several feet away, both double doors closed. It was where the lecture was being held. Most of the museum's visitors were content to browse around the exhibit. Lex would've loved to do that, but she knew she had to go through those doors and find Grant. Taking a deep breath, she approached the auditorium's closed double doors. She read the sign posted on the outside and smiled when she recognized the last name listed on the guest speakers list.

**Montana State University****  
Department of Paleontology Lecture: "Dinosaurs: Separating Fact from Fiction"****  
Guest Speakers: Dr. Robert Burke, Dr. Sarah Harding, and Dr. Alan Grant****  
June 11th**** 2:30pm-4:30pm  
Free Refreshments**

This was it.

She would walk through those doors, find Grant, and tell him everything that had happened after he left Isla Nublar. She entered quietly and was surprised at how small the Hager Auditorium was. A sign on the wall read that it seated a maximum of two hundred and fifteen people. MSU students and museum visitors were seated inside scattered about. There were a few empty rows.

On the stage, a woman with red hair spoke about animal predators in Africa. _That must be Dr. Harding._ Sarah Harding appeared to be concluding her lecture on the podium. Behind her were four folding chairs. The middle one was empty; on the left side was a man with a scruffy beard and long hair tied into a pony tail, this was Robert Burke. Another man sat next to him and Lex couldn't place a name on his face. Then she realized it was Jack Horner, the famous paleontologist and museum curator.

On the right side was Alan Grant.

Lex instantly recognized him. Grant wore a solid blue button down shirt and a pair of khakis. He looked down-to-earth as usual. Lex watched him carefully to see if he'd look in her direction. Grant didn't, he appeared to be absorbed in Sarah Harding's lecture and then he glanced at papers on his lap. Lex figured he was getting ready to speak next. A few minutes later applause followed and Lex took the opportunity to sit three rows away from the front. She wanted to sit in a place where he wouldn't be able to miss her.

As Grant stood up and whispered to Sarah, who sat down in her seat, Lex made sure to lock eyes with him. He got to the podium and arranged his papers. Just as he was about to deliver his lecture, she saw him look directly at her. Or was it the person behind her? Lex turned around quickly and met his eyes again.

He was looking straight at her.

She could tell he was surprised to see her. His eyebrows knitted together and he looked as though he were about to say something to her. Then, as though remembering he had an audience in front of him, Grant began his lecture. The entire time, Lex kept her eyes locked on his.

**oOo**

_What the hell is Lex doing here?_

The question kept ringing in Grant's mind as he projected his voice in the room. He hadn't seen or heard from her or the park staff in months. He was tempted to stop the lecture and pull her outside to find out what was going on, but he couldn't do that. He had to keep a straight face and continue with the lecture he had prepared about dinosaurs' maternal behavior.

Most times, Grant would stare at the back of the room when doing a lecture. He had learned to do that long ago, when he first started teaching, and was still slightly nervous about being in front of a crowd. Over time he had grown in his confidence and was able to look at each student or spectator in the eye. What made it easier was that he was passionate about the subjects he spoke about and he wanted the audience to feel and experience the same passion he had for paleontology. This led a greater connection with the audience—whether they were colleagues, students, or strangers.

However, he had no idea what Lex was doing here. He made certain that he would find out as soon as possible. For now, he just had to play it cool and finish up. Thankfully, there was only a half hour to go.

**oOo**

When Grant's lecture was finished, he sat down, and the fourth man got up and went to the podium. Lex watched Grant and he kept his gaze focused on her. The entire time during his lecture, she knew he had seen her. Now she just had to wait until everything was over.

"I want to thank everyone for coming out to attend our lecture," Jack Horner said. "Our visiting paleontologists and animal experts will stay around to answer any questions you might have. Thank you, Dr. Burke, Dr. Harding, and Dr. Grant for adding to the museum's highlights for this week. Our lecture series will continue tomorrow at the same time in the afternoon, two-thirty p.m. in this auditorium."

A round of applause followed and everyone stood up. Some visitors left through the auditorium's double doors, while others lingered around to speak with the experts. Jack Horner stood near the left side of the stage, speaking with visitors, along with Sarah Harding and Robert Burke. Lex made her way to the front. A group of students, probably doctorate candidates in paleontology, had surrounded Grant. He kept looking over them and making eye contact with Lex to tell her he'd get to her soon. Finally, he pulled away from them and came over to her.

"What brings you here?" he asked. "I can't believe this…"

He hugged Lex gently, and smiled, but the shock still hadn't left his face.

Lex couldn't help but smile in return. "Surprised, Dr. Grant?"

"That's an understatement. You're the last person I expected to see."

"We need to talk," Lex said, glancing around the auditorium that was slowly emptying out. "Right now, if possible."

"We can do that, let me just finish up here. Ten minutes tops and we'll grab a bite to eat." He glanced around the room and then turned back to her. "Did you come all this way by yourself?"

Lex nodded. "I'll explain everything."

**oOo**

They went to a snack bar on campus that Grant often dined at. He wondered how in the world Lex had arrived at Montana by herself. Lex had been quiet on the way to the snack bar. Now they sat across from each other in a corner booth, away from everyone. A few students had cautiously approached, but Grant made it clear that he couldn't speak to them right now. Lex had requested they have privacy. Grant was fine with that, but he wondered what was behind all this? Something must be up on the island, if she had traveled all this way to find him. Lex sat with her arms folded across her chest, staring at the table and not touching her chocolate milkshake. Grant drank his orange juice and waited. Why did Lex look so dejected? He was about to break the silence, when she beat him to it.

"You're really popular here, huh?"

Grant thought she sounded bitter.

"You can say that." How should he approach her? Lex seemed to be brooding, as though she were carrying a heavy load and wouldn't let anyone shoulder the burden. "What's going on, Lex? It's been awhile since I last saw you."

She shook her head. "You didn't even call."

"I…" Grant began, and then realized she was right. What could he say in response to that?

"Why didn't you call us? Not even once…if you did, you would know everything that's going on. I wish you had stayed in touch."

Grant winced at her tone. She sounded angry at him, and he knew she had every right to feel that way. "I'm sorry, Lex. I meant to call the island and check on everyone. I just threw myself into my lectures and conferences. I bury myself in my work, you know, with the digs and the teaching."

"You and El love your work, but it's like you both use it to escape sometimes."

He nodded. That was one major similarity that he and Ellie shared. Her passion and devotion to her work was one of many qualities that he cherished. Still, Grant was able to be objective and see it through Lex's perspective. When he enacted the same quality to an extreme; it came off like he was shutting out people.

"I'm sorry, I really am," Grant said again. "I'm here now and I'm all ears. What's going on? Tell me everything."

"A lot's happened since you've been gone," Lex said, meeting his questioning stare. "The park staff needs you to come back right away."

"How soon is 'right away'?"

"Today, if possible. Tomorrow or sometime this week. The sooner the better."

Grant sat back in the booth. "It's that serious?"

"Nothing's been the same since you left. Everything is upside-down."

"What do you mean?"

"Grandpa's in the hospital…that you already know…Dr. Wu joined them…"

"Who's them?"

"Biosyn. The company that wants to destroy everything my grandfather's done. They want Jurassic Park for themselves, and if they can't have it, they'll wreck it."

Now Grant leaned over close and shut out the surrounding conversations. "Henry joined Lewis Dodgson? When did this happen? _How_ did this happen?"

"After you left." Lex drank her chocolate shake. "A lot of stuff happened after you left the island, Dr. Grant. That's why we need you to come back to help set things right again."

"Wait—you need to explain what happened. This is a little out there."

"A week after you left, we—Mr. Muldoon, Mr. Arnold, El, Tim, myself, and Dr. Malcolm went to visit Grandpa in the hospital. Mr. Nedry showed up at the park, only he was by himself. He and Mr. Muldoon disappeared and no one knew where they were. Later on, we found out they were stranded on Isla Sorna—the Biosyn team put them there."

"This happened the same day you went to see your grandfather on the mainland?"

Lex nodded. "Mr. Arnold told us they were missing the next morning, and Mr. Gennaro got in his face, saying how he can't do his job and that he should leave the island."

Grant was totally astounded. He couldn't believe what Lex was telling him.

"Just where does Gennaro get off thinking he can speak to anyone like that, especially your grandfather's staff?"

"Mr. Gennaro thinks he can boss everyone around just because he's Grandpa's lawyer. Dr. Malcolm told him off."

"He did?"

"Many times. Mr. Arnold stayed in the control room all day and night, hoping the cameras and sensors in the park would spot Mr. Muldoon and Mr. Nedry…he was always stressed out. Dr. Malcolm helped him though; he'd make him come to dinner in the cafeteria."

Grant nodded. He didn't think highly of Malcolm, but from the way Lex described him helping out and defending the staff, he found that he had a new respect for him. Like most of the park staff, Grant viewed Malcolm with a narrow lens. For him, it was a personal bias because of his unrequited feelings for Ellie. Grant considered Malcolm to be a self-absorbed mathematician, who was content to be pessimistic, and enjoyed blurting out chaos theory at every turn. Perhaps he had been wrong all this time. There was still a personal riff between them because of the situation with Ellie. However, Grant was surprised that Malcolm helped InGen out, instead of rubbing their noses in the dirt when everything went to hell.

"So Dr. Malcolm's been supporting the staff?"

"As much as he could. It was his idea for me to come get you."

"Wow…that's something else…"

Grant was still amazed by Malcolm's role in helping the InGen staff, but now he wondered about Nedry and Muldoon. He knew of their mutual hatred ever since Nedry's trial. It was no secret to anyone on Isla Nublar that they wanted to rip out each other's throats. Even before his arrest, Nedry and Muldoon never cared or respected each other. They had worked and didn't speak to each other unless it was necessary.

"How long were Mr. Muldoon and Mr. Nedry gone for?"

"Two months. Dr. Wu was helping Mr. Arnold until Mr. Thorne came around. That's when Dr. Wu started acting strange, but he had been doing that even before then. Mr. Gennaro yelled at me and Tim too."

"About what? What in the world would he yell at you and Tim for?"

Lex shook her head. "Any and everything. If he could get away with it, he'd toss us on the mainland and leave us there."

Grant was speechless. If Hammond knew how Gennaro treated his grandchildren, he'd be out of a job before he could say "InGen". Gennaro always rubbed him the wrong way because of his obvious greed. If Hammond was content to have Gennaro represent the company and act as his lawyer, then so be it. Grant knew Gennaro was motivated by his love of money. He still remembered the initial inspection when Gennaro spoke gleefully about how much money Jurassic Park would make when it finally opened to the public. When he had last seen Gennaro, it appeared that he hadn't changed much.

"That's crazy…that's so ridiculous."

"It really is." Lex shrugged. "It's been happening for a long time now."

Grant shook his head, and now he knew what he had to find out. He had to ask about her—he had left in tears outside by the staff building. Saying they left on bad terms would've been the second understatement of the day. When you leave your student-turned-love-interest heartbroken, "left on bad terms" is hardly giving the situation the validity it warrants. He had been thinking of her a lot lately.

"How is Ellie doing?"

"She used to spend most of her time in the greenhouse, but then they destroyed it…."

_Ellie's not okay,_ Grant thought. If she was always in the greenhouse, then that was a sure sign she was upset about what was taking place in the park. He was reminded of what Lex had said earlier about him and Ellie using their work to escape from overwhelming pressure and stress, and it jarred an unpleasant memory of when Biosyn first invaded the island.

Grant remembered when he and Ellie had confronted George Lawala. Lawala had shot her in the leg and tossed a cargo net over them. Trying to disentangle themselves made things worse and when they had finally returned to the visitor center, Ellie was furious that the park staff didn't want to tell Hammond what had occurred. After that, she wanted nothing to do with the park's incidents. She preferred to retreat to her greenhouse, since it gave her a peace of mind. Even if it did, Grant knew it was Ellie's way of isolating herself from everyone. Grant squeezed his container of orange juice. He missed Ellie, and despite everything that had happened between them, he hated to think of her depressed.

Then he realized that Lex had said: "_but they destroyed it…_"

"Who's 'they'?" Grant asked, although he had a feeling of whom Lex referred to.

"The Biosyn staff…they've taken over the entire island. They tell the park staff what to do and follow us around everywhere. Ms. Sonya destroyed El's greenhouse and Dr. Wu helped her. Mr. Tembo is trying to take Mr. Muldoon's job. Mr. Lawala is alright. I wish Grandpa knew what a phony Mr. Baselton is."

"He's your grandfather's accountant, right?"

"_Was _my grandfather's accountant. I wish he'd get fired. Mr. Lopez is mean and Ms. Sonya is a bitch." Lex blushed as if she felt ashamed for the brazen way she had cursed in front of Grant. "I'm sorry, but she is. She always harasses El."

Grant chuckled. "It's okay. She sounds like a bitch, based on everything you've told me. What else have they been doing?"

"They've been holding us prisoner on our own island. After Mr. Muldoon came back, they were in the visitor center. Mr. Dodgson said he hired new staff and that things were going to change."

"Have you tried kicking them off?"

Lex gave Grant a long look and he immediately regretted asking.

"We tried to—and it made everything worse. One night, Mr. Muldoon got Mr. Tembo in the control room and questioned him. He shot darts at Mr. Tembo and one at Mr. King. It was funny at the time, but then everything got really bad. Dr. Dodgson came back from the mainland. He had gone with his group to take care of Mr. Nedry. The next day everyone on my Grandpa's staff was split up. We didn't even know what was going on with everyone else. Dr. Malcolm, Tim, and me got locked up in the emergency bunker for a week. Ms. Sonya destroyed El's greenhouse…we found out later on. The Biosyn guys like Mr. Lopez blame Dr. Harding for the dinosaurs getting sick…everything's messed up."

Grant realized now that he would never know the full extent of what the InGen staff had experienced when he left to go to the States. He didn't say anything, and just stared at the table. Lex waited; she could tell he was taking all this in, processing everything.

"Go on," he said.

"Remember how Mr. Muldoon and Mr. Arnold used to be close?"

Grant nodded. Arnold and Muldoon were good friends and dependable co-workers. They always leaned on each other for support and backed each other up. They were able to handle whatever happened on the island due to their solidarity. He noticed Lex had said "_used to be close_".

"What happened to them?"

"They've been arguing over everything. Mr. Arnold thinks Mr. Muldoon has turned soft and that he feels sorry for Mr. Nedry."

"How about Dr. Harding?"

Lex drank her milkshake and set it aside. "The dinosaurs have been getting sick in the park and he doesn't know why. He knows it's because of the Biosyn team, but they won't accept responsibility. They blame everything on him. Dr. Wu gets on his case and yells at him. Mr. Dodgson does the same and threatens to fire him. Mr. Thorne is Mr. Dodgson. He came to the island calling himself 'Cameron Thorne."

"So it was just an alias?"

"Yeah." Lex lowered her eyes. "Tim and I knew he wasn't good from the beginning. He ripped up Tim's picture, and disrespected El the night Mr. Muldoon and Mr. Nedry were arrested."

"They were arrested?" Grant's eyebrows shot upward. Did Lex mention this before? He didn't think so, but even so, he wasn't sure. There was so much she was telling him, it was a lot to take in. "When did this happen?"

"The same night they returned."

Grant shook his head. How could so much have gone wrong in such a short period of time? Harding was blamed for the dinosaurs getting sick for unknown reasons, Muldoon and Nedry had been arrested, Gennaro was screaming at Lex and Tim, Wu was no longer aligned with InGen, Ellie was keeping to herself, or trying to avoid what was taking place, Arnold was burning out from all the stress…He now had to ask her again, to confirm what she had told him earlier. It's not that he didn't believe her; he just needed to hear it again to drive the point home.

"And the idea of you coming all the way out here to Montana…" Grant said slowly, locking eyes with Lex. "This was Dr. Malcolm's plan?"

Lex nodded. "He had your itinerary stashed away, or El had it and shared it with him."

"How did you pay for all this?"

"Dr. Malcolm used Grandpa's emergency funds. I also used my birthday money."

"How did you both get off the island? If Dodgson's taken over everything, then I'm sure he didn't just let you leave."

"El found a way for us to leave. She agreed to let Dodgson watch Tim—she didn't want to, but she had to," Lex quickly added. "It wasn't something she wanted to do."

Lex stared at the table. Grant took that to mean Ellie had put herself in a compromising position. He knew she was a person of extremes: either she got totally involved and helped all the way, or she shut herself away from everyone. He wasn't surprised her helping meant risking her own safety. He didn't want to find out more for fear that the answer would infuriate him. He still felt protective of her, and cared for her a lot. Ellie was one of many reasons why he had to return to the island.

"So…" Grant glanced over his shoulder at a group of noisy students, and then back at Lex. "You left the island with Dr. Malcolm?"

"Mr. Dodgson sent Mr. Tembo along with us. We got Mr. Tembo thrown in jail when we went to visit Grandpa in the hospital. We had asked Dr. Dodgson if we could visit Grandpa in the hospital, he said 'yes', after Ellie agreed to let him a m watch Tim. At the hospital, Dr. Malcolm and me put our master plan into action!" She sounded proud and even Grant had to smile. "We got Mr. Tembo arrested!" At this, a giggle escaped from Lex and her eyes lit up. It was the first time that Grant had seen her happy today.

"How did you do that?"

"I asked to use the bathroom, and then got security on him. I told them a bald man is following me around with a gun, and that he's threatening me and my uncle, Dr. Malcolm. You should've seen the expression on his face!"

Grant laughed at the thought of security guards dragging Tembo away. Just imagining Tembo infuriated was amusing in itself. _Serves that bastard right,_ Grant thought, _after the way he gloated at Ellie and me that day._ He remembered Lex mentioning her grandfather.

"How's your grandfather doing?"

"He's doing much better—and he's walking!"

"That's great!" Grant was thrilled Lex had some good news to share—especially regarding Hammond.

"Yeah! He talks better than before, but they still want him to stay at the hospital until he's one hundred percent. He's been taking physical therapy, occupational therapy, and speech therapy. El gave me a pot of flowers to give to him. I can't wait for him to return to the island. Timmy misses him a lot."

"It's wonderful that he's doing better."

"It is; I just wish we could visit him more. Maybe we can see him before we return to the island?"

"Sure, I'd love to, Lex. That would be great."

Lex drank her chocolate shake. The glass was now half-empty; or rather, half-full now. "So are you coming back?"

She had finally asked the question. Grant knew it was inevitable, as soon as he realized the purpose behind Lex's visit. It wasn't a coincidence that she had showed up at Montana State University. Even before she asked him, Grant had no doubt in his mind about his decision. He would definitely go back to Isla Nublar. There was no questioning or second-guessing it. He was desperately needed and the situation was extreme. In hindsight, if he knew everything was going to fall apart on the island, he would've stayed around.

"Absolutely. I'll pack tonight and we'll take the first flight out of Montana tomorrow." He stood up, ready to leave the snack bar. "Ready?"

"Sure." Lex got up, finished her milkshake and threw it out in a nearby trashcan. "Where're we going now?"

"To my office. I'm going to type a memo to the rest of the professors and to Dr. Horner, that I won't be able to attend tomorrow or the rest of the week. I'll call him too, but I have to get it down in writing."

Lex remembered Jack Horner had mentioned the lecture series would continue tomorrow. "Will you get in trouble?"

Grant shook his head. "Not at all. I'll just tell them an emergency has come up. They don't need to know the details. Don't worry about it, Lex, things happen and need to be taken care of. Besides, I miss being there."

He smiled and Lex beamed again. She looked far happier now compared to when they had first sat down to talk about everything. They started towards the academic buildings on campus, where his office was located. On the outside, Grant was happy too—but he also felt drained from everything Lex had shared. He knew it must've been ten times worse for her and everyone else who experienced the circumstances firsthand. He just had to type that memo and make a few calls. From there he'd go back to the motel he was staying and start packing.

**oOo**

"It's an emergency…I'm sorry I won't be able to complete the series," Grant said into the phone, reclining in his chair. "Thanks for understanding, Jack…I really appreciate it. Talk to you soon. Bye."

Lex sat across from him in his office. Tall shelves lined the walls of the office, filled with books about paleontology, the various time periods when dinosaurs ruled the earth, science, anatomy, and ancient life. Posters about dinosaurs, MSU's academic programs, and the Museum of the Rockies decorated the walls. There was even a detailed sketch of a triceratops and her young. Lex smiled at the drawing and the signature of the artist. _Tim Murphy_. Grant's desk was neat with notebooks stacked up, and she noticed some papers with the blue and white InGen logo. He placed the phone on the receiver.

"So that's settled, Lex. Are you staying at a motel? Or did you come straight from the airport?"

"I stayed at a motel when I came in yesterday. Then I came here."

"Okay, we'll see about booking a flight tonight or just going in tomorrow and seeing how it goes. Sounds like a plan?"

"Sounds great!" Lex grinned. "Dr. Malcolm will be really happy. So will everyone else, especially El."

Grant winced at the mention of Malcolm and Ellie. He still felt uneasy by the fact that Malcolm was behind all this. It seemed as though Malcolm was trying to bridge the gap between them, or more so, between Grant and Ellie.

"What's Dr. Malcolm doing? If you're here in Montana, then what's he up to?"

"He's bailing Mr. Nedry out of jail, or he's going to try to."

"You don't sound thrilled about that."

Lex shrugged. "He put Grandpa in the hospital. I'm not sure what I feel towards him…I feel I should hate him, but I don't. At the same time, I don't like him."

"That's understandable." Grant sifted through some papers on his desk. "I'm going to call the airport about those flights now."

"Why not go online to do it?" Lex gestured at the computer sitting on Grant's desk. A film of dust had collected on the screen.

"You know me and computers, Lex. I'm not fond of them. I like to do things the old-fashioned way."

Lex nodded. She got up from her seat and checked out the office.

Grant picked up the phone again. "Everything is automated these days," he muttered. "It's ridiculous."

"Dr. Grant…may I ask you something…and please don't get mad."

"Sure, Lex. What is it?"

"Did you leave the island because of El and Dr. Malcolm?"

Grant almost dropped the phone. He put it down on the receiver, trying not to make it sound like he was slamming it down. His lips parted to answer her question, but no words came out. Lex was looking at him directly, daring him to answer her question.

"I had been planning on visiting MSU for awhile now. I mentioned it to your grandfather in passing. I had the lecture series to attend to, among other things." Grant stared at her. He wasn't offended by her audacity, but shocked by what she asked him. "Is there a reason you think otherwise?" He hoped his tone didn't come off as if he were shooting the question at her.

Lex shook her head, but she remained firm. "It's just that after you left, El was upset for a long time. The same day you left, she left dinner early…" she stopped, as if she knew she had hit his ultimate nerve. That night was fresh in her memory as she remembered seeing Ellie in her greenhouse that night, her eyes reddened from crying. "I was just wondering. She misses you a lot."

"I'll speak to her first thing when I get to the island," Grant said quietly. He picked up the phone again and dialed slowly. When he spoke again, he didn't meet Lex's eyes. "It's a good thing I'm going back…I've missed her too."

**oOo**

As Grant had promised Lex, they took the first flight out of Montana the next day. They had switched planes twice in the States and were now on their final flight to Costa Rica. Before boarding their final plane in Florida, Lex had called the Adventure Inn to let Malcolm know they were on their way. She had asked Grant if he wanted to speak with Malcolm and he had declined, explaining he would speak with him when they arrived. It would be about three hours before they arrived in San José, Costa Rica, so the flight gave them plenty of time to catch up on their rest. Lex had been sleeping for the past hour, and Grant didn't wake her up. The flight also gave him time to reflect on everything she had told him.

He still couldn't swallow Wu's betrayal. He played it over and over again in his mind. It was hard to believe that Wu joined Biosyn. _How did that happen? Why did it happen?_ No matter how many times he asked himself these questions, no answers came up. Grant doubted anyone had seen it coming. Wu was the last person anyone would accuse of betraying InGen. And yet, he was the leak, the mole that Hammond had complained about, but never suspected. He could only imagine how the park staff was reacting to Wu's betrayal, and more so, Grant didn't know how _he _should react now that he was returning to the island. Seeing Wu on the island was unavoidable. Lex had told him the park staff warned Tim and her to stay away Wu. _Should I do the same?_ Grant wondered.

Grant thought about Hammond now. _Was he aware of the fact that I haven't been on Isla Nublar for the past several months? _Before his accident, Grant had mentioned in passing to Hammond that he planned on making a trip back to the States. He hadn't gone into details; he just tossed out the idea casually to Hammond, who at the time was more concerned about the direction of his park. _There was so much that Hammond didn't know,_ Grant thought. If Hammond had known about the previous incidents when Biosyn invaded the island, then maybe what happened would've never taken place. Grant entertained that thought and decided it was too late to wonder if things would've been different. Pondering about empty "what-ifs" would lead him nowhere. Grant knew he was part of the solution to the problem that the InGen staff faced; he was a support, another person on their side. InGen desperately needed loyal and true people—they had been stabbed in the back too many times. That's why Lex had been sent to find him.

When Grant had left, he didn't expect to be searched out. He had wanted to get off the island after Hammond was sent to the hospital. In all his life, Grant had never experienced such heart-hammering fear as on the day Nedry released the raptors. Even now he could still feel the shotgun in his hands, his fingers sweaty as he pulled the trigger. He was too petrified to be angry about what had happened. Later on, he had plenty of time to be furious. That's why when Muldoon came to him with a final solution to end the raptor problem; he readily assisted in their destruction. The park housed enough dinosaurs, fourteen species. The staff didn't need the added aggravation of dealing with the velociraptors. With that entire species eliminated, the park staff had one less dinosaur to worry about. Muldoon expressed later on that he wished he had killed them earlier and Grant had completely agreed.

As for Hammond…Grant never wanted to see him in that situation again. Hammond was completely helpless that day, keeled over the sand with half his body drooping. He didn't look like the wealthy founder of InGen and stubborn creator of Jurassic Park. He looked like a tired old man, a regular man doomed to meet his end sooner than he expected. Grant had his attention focused on killing or at least, tranquilizing the escaped raptors. Once that was taken care of, there was Hammond to worry about as his situation had unraveled faster by the minute. Lex said Hammond was improving greatly and Grant was thrilled about that. Even so, Grant felt strongly that Hammond's situation should _never _occur again.

It was Hammond's accident that made Grant feel uneasy about Jurassic Park. Although he was thrilled to see the very life he had studied for so long resurrected after millions of years, a part of him was disturbed that the dinosaurs were used for a theme park setting. He had felt that way during the inspection tour, and a part of him always held onto that notion. The grave danger wasn't the only reason he felt troubled by Jurassic Park. Other problems complicated it. Everyone's safety was always in a compromising position. No one knew how dinosaurs really behaved. Theory was one thing, real life was another. Rival companies, like Biosyn, had no qualms about using extreme unethical measures to get their hands on InGen's technology. Most of all, very few people ran Jurassic Park. The island was severely understaffed and Grant thought it made no sense for Hammond to allow such a complicated, difficult, and detailed theme park to be run by only a handful of professionals.

Grant thought about it often, and he knew how Hammond would react if he brought up his concerns. _Then again, it might be different now, _he thought. _John's experience should be a wake-up call. _He smiled wryly. The park staff always had their doubts, and the loudest and most outspoken person was Ian Malcolm.

On that note, Grant thought about his situation involving Ellie and Malcolm. He had taken their relationship too personal, more than he had expected. Now he realized how his last action—leaving the island without giving notice beforehand and then not calling to check on everyone—must've been interpreted. He regretted not calling the staff once he reached the States, and he hoped his presence would help to make up for it.

Most of all, Grant knew he should've kept his relationship with Ellie strictly as student and professor. It should've remained professional no matter what he felt for her at the time. When she was his new graduate student in Montana, Grant was impressed with her intelligence and dedication. Ellie reminded him so much of his deceased wife and maybe, without meaning to, he had transferred the feelings he had for his wife onto her.

He had never meant to hurt Ellie, or come off as if he were taking advantage of her. He had wanted to help her in her studies and career goals. Somewhere along the way, he had initiated dinner dates, secretly hoping for more to develop between them. Ellie never let on she was interested in him, but he liked to believe she was. Grant wondered now if he had only imagined that she was felt anything for him. Maybe he wanted to believe it so that he could have someone who felt as passionately about paleontology as he did. He knew he was crossing a boundary, but at the time, he convinced himself that it was for the best and that it would work out in time.

Grant couldn't have been more wrong.

Once his feelings went beyond the boundaries of student and professor, Ellie was also affected. She still worked with him at the Badlands' excavations, but kept quiet regarding Grant's feelings for her. When they went to the park inspection, he had no idea what would come from Ellie's and Malcolm's first meeting. Before the weekend inspection, _Ian Malcolm _was a name Grant was familiar as far as the field of mathematics went. After the weekend inspection, Grant grew to dislike Malcolm more and more, especially when he noticed Ellie talking with him.

Grant wasn't blind: he knew Malcolm was wooing Ellie and that she was attracted to him. Maybe Ellie was drawn to Malcolm in an effort to distance herself from Grant. He didn't think she'd done that deliberately, but he also had to admit: Ellie was an attractive and brilliant young woman. She had choices. She liked whom she liked and that's all there was to it. Her decision to date Malcolm was never meant as a stab at him. In retrospect, Grant regretted he had taken it that way, but at the time; he felt betrayed. He had loved his student and allowed professional boundaries to fall away so he could have a relationship with a woman who didn't return his feelings. It was painfully difficult for Grant to sit in on meetings with Ellie and Malcolm, knowing that he had no chance to be with her, now that she was involved with another man.

This point was hit home when Lex had asked him straight out: _did you leave the island because of El and Dr. Malcolm? _Grant had tried to maintain a neutral expression on his face, but her question had hit him on a personal level. There was some truth to it, and as much as it was true that he had planned to visit Montana State University for awhile, he also couldn't deny that Ellie and Malcolm were part of the reason he left the island. He knew Lex didn't ask out of malice. She was asking out of pure honesty, curious about how he felt when he left. He stared out the window at the blue sky and decided he would make amends for leaving the island when he was needed most. At this point, his personal feelings and grievances against Ellie and Malcolm were microscopic compared to what was going on at the island now.

Grant thought about how the park staff would react to him. Would they be angry to see him? He had abandoned them when he was needed most. Lex was incredibly brave to travel to Montana on her own to get him. That action in itself showed how dire the situation was. How could he refuse to go back after Lex had traveled all this way? He simply couldn't. When he left his itinerary back at Isla Nublar, he had no idea that someone, least of all Lex, would use it to track him down. Before Lex had finished telling him what had occurred on the island, he had already made his mind up to return and do anything he could to help InGen.

Now that they were mere hours away Costa Rica, Grant knew there was no turning back.

* * *

**Author's Notes:** Thanks to DarthSiditious04 for your suggestions regarding Lex's feelings about Grant not calling the staff and his thoughts about Jurassic Park. The sign that Lex reads about Museum of the Rockies was taken verbatim from the website. I could've paraphrased it, but I felt it would've lost its significance. I decided to use it and credit the website in case anyone wants to check it out. Thanks for continuing with my story.

**-Sassy Lil Scorpio**


	13. Reconciliation

**Reconciliation**

Ian Malcolm's eyelids were heavy. He yawned and stretched his arms. He was tempted to put his head down on the table, but he knew he had to stay awake. It was late morning and he had barely slept the night before. The hospitality staff had phoned him earlier to let him know he had a call from Lex Murphy. Although he was tired, Malcolm had taken the call. Lex had told him that she and Grant were traveling back to Costa Rica and would arrive in about three hours. Malcolm couldn't go to sleep after that. He had remained awake as his ran though all the possible scenarios that could happen once he and Grant met face to face again.

Malcolm glanced at his watch. It was half past eleven and she said they would show up after twelve noon at the Adventure Inn. Despite how exhausted he felt, he was thrilled to hear from her and relived that Grant was returning. It wasn't necessary to pick them up, since the airport provided free transportation to the Adventure Inn. The plan had worked better than he had expected, but he was still apprehensive since he hadn't spoken to the park staff in several days. Who knew what happened while he and Lex were gone—he hoped things didn't worsen, although, by now, that seemed to be the most expected conclusion. He wanted to return as soon as possible.

Now he was in the Adventure Inn's dining area, trying to enjoy brunch unsuccessfully. Dennis Nedry sat across from him, slicing a loaf of French bread. The inn served a mouth-watering buffet consisting of Costa Rica's native fruits, banana bread, coffee, and freshly-squeezed fruit juices. They also served the usual: eggs, pancakes, bacon, sausage, ham, and French toast. Malcolm picked at the tamale on his plate.

"What's wrong with you?" Nedry asked, after swallowing a slice of bread. "You've barely touched your food."

Malcolm shrugged. "I'm not hungry."

"You're nervous?"

"I guess you can say that." He pushed the plate away, not wanting to look at the food.

"What's there to be nervous about?"

"Nothing…nothing at all."

Malcolm gazed at the brightly-colored Mayan murals decorated on the walls of the dining area. It reminded him of the visitor center's murals. To distract himself from Grant's and Lex's pending arrival, he delved into Nedry's mind.

"So what happened when you and Robert were stranded?"

"You mean on Sorna?" Nedry didn't look up as he sliced an apple.

"Right."

Malcolm had other intentions aside from calming his nerves. He wanted to see what Muldoon had seen on Isla Sorna where it concerned Nedry. It's not that he didn't believe what Muldoon had told him and Ray Arnold. The time was coming close to return to the island, and Malcolm needed to see for himself what Muldoon whole-heartedly believed in.

"Hmm…what to tell you…what to say. We made it out alive in one piece."

"That's amazing, all things considering."

Nedry nodded. "That's the damn truth. Don't misunderstand though—we had our moments where we nearly strangled each other, but we managed to co-exist. I wouldn't say peacefully, more like we found a common ground."

"Concerning what?"

Nedry was about to speak and stopped himself. Malcolm noticed he looked around the room as though searching for the right words—or was it the right _lie_?

"We respected and understood where we were both coming from. He always does things by the book, and you know me, I don't do anything by the book. I do what I want regardless of whom or what gets broken. Sometimes I regret that, other times I don't."

Malcolm was intrigued by that last bit and stored it in his memory bank. "Did you help him at any point?"

"What do you mean?"

"Did you save his life?" _Might as well ask the question straight out, _Malcolm thought.

Nedry's eyebrows knitted together. "I don't know what you're talking about—unless you mean that time he fell off a cliff and ended up in a river half-conscious. I got him out—it wasn't for a medal. I did what anyone else would've done." He set the knife across his plate. "Why are you asking me? What did he tell you?"

Malcolm studied him, aware of the fact that Nedry knew he was being scrutinized. Every word from his mouth and every action went under Malcolm's microscope. Hammond had a way of describing this sensation when a person knows they're being carefully observed. He told Malcolm about it once, and right now he couldn't recall the exact words.

"Robert's not bad," Nedry continued, "he takes himself and his work too seriously at times, but his heart is in the right place. He means well and stands by what he believes in. I give him props for that 'cause it's not easy to stand up for the right thing when everyone else believes it's the wrong thing. That's a better view of him than what I had when I was locked up."

"How did you view him then?"

"You don't want to know."

A waiter came over and took Malcolm's plate and eating utensils. "Thank you," Malcolm said. The waiter gave him a brief nod. "I don't want to know?"

"I don't want to go into it."

"I see."

"But if your curiosity must be satisfied, because I can tell you want answers…" Nedry smirked. "Let's just say it involved me, him, a bat, and his broken ribs."

Malcolm nodded. He didn't need further elaboration.

"I'm sure he had a picturesque view of me too."

"That's a strong possibility."

It was becoming awkward between them and Malcolm didn't want that. They had stayed up the night before, ordering drinks in the inn's bar, trying to relax. Nedry didn't want to go too far from the inn and Malcolm was content to go sightseeing around the resort. After several drinks, he had spilled his guts about Ellie Sattler.

"You love her, don't you?" Nedry had asked. He was more sober than Malcolm. "Can you see yourself getting married to her?"

"Oh yeah, I'm always on the lookout for a future ex-Mrs. Malcolm." Malcolm had shoved his drink aside when he realized the weight of his words. "That's not what I meant."

Nedry had shot him a quizzical glance. "I hope you meant _future Mrs. Malcolm_, minus the 'ex' part."

"Yep, that's what I meant."

Malcolm had laughed; it was a nervous type of laughter. He didn't want to think about his upcoming meeting (confrontation?) with Grant. He didn't know how they would act around each other. Before he had left to the States, Grant had barely spoken a word to him. His behavior bothered Malcolm, but it was really Ellie, who felt the brunt of his frustration. He hoped Grant would be able to put their personal situation aside to help the park staff. He had a feeling that Grant would do that, but he didn't know for sure. For once the situation's uncertainty frazzled Malcolm, instead of intriguing him.

And he was still counting on Nedry to help out InGen.

Malcolm came back to the present when he heard Nedry asking him questions.

"How's Ray?"

"He's doing alright."

"Just 'alright'? He's not smoking three packs everyday?"

Malcolm couldn't help, but smile. "He's doing the best he can, given the circumstances."

"Good to hear, that's Ray for you. What about Gerry?"

"Trying to keep up with the dinosaurs in the park."

"What about Dodgson?"

Malcolm clenched his fists. He didn't want Nedry to see that he had struck a chord—intentional or not. "What about him?"

"I bet you were the first to spot him when he came to the island. 'Cameron Thorne'." Nedry scoffed. "What a joke. His disguises get worse every time."

"Did you notice we're the only ones in the dining area?" Malcolm asked, changing the subject. He noticed the empty chairs and tables

"Yeah, I did. Most times I prefer crowds of people."

"Why crowds of people?"

"You really like digging into me, don't you? What're you gonna do with all the answers I'm giving you? Jot it down in case you're called to testify against me?"

Malcolm blinked, surprised at Nedry's bluntness. "No," he said, locking eyes with him. Malcolm could be straightforward too. "I analyze any and everything around me—including people."

"Have you analyzed yourself lately?"

Malcolm didn't know if he was being sarcastic or not, but now he understood why Arnold found it difficult to get along with Nedry. He decided to give an open-ended reply. "Too much." Then he added the zinger: "And you? Have you examined yourself recently?"

Nedry leaned forward, a smug grin on his face. "When you're locked up for months on end in a ten by eight cell, how else do you spend your time?"

Malcolm pushed away from the table and Nedry did likewise. They started towards the reception area of the inn. When they got there, Malcolm asked about his incoming visitors. There were no new messages from Grant or Lex. Sighing, he plopped down on one of the sofas and stared at the paintings on the wall. His eyes kept shifting towards the entrance. He had deliberately sat in a spot where he could watch the inn's guests walk in and out of the building. A taxi stopped in the front. Malcolm sat up abruptly and watched as an elderly couple got out. He leaned against the sofa, trying to relax.

"Look at you!" Nedry said, laughing. "You're freaking out!"

Malcolm closed his eyes. "And how did you come up with that conclusion?"

"It's written all over your face. You need to get over it."

"There's nothing for me to get over."

"Except your fear of seeing Dr. Grant again."

Malcolm pretended to shut him out; he wouldn't allow Nedry to get under his skin. Even if he didn't do it deliberately, Nedry had a knack for spotting his weaknesses, and this frightened Malcolm. He didn't openly reveal his fears, but they kept manifesting outwardly, even though he wanted them to disappear. He reminded himself of what he had told Muldoon awhile ago: Nedry had distorted views in how he related to others. Nedry was intelligent, but he was also a criminal and had his own agenda—or so Malcolm believed.

He forced himself to refocus. He had chosen to take a chance and put his trust in a traitor. It was a major risk that carried heavy consequences. Malcolm's decision would help InGen or break them. There were no grays in the situation. All Malcolm wanted was for Nedry to follow through on his promise to help InGen get rid of Biosyn. He constantly thought about it and he knew it was only a matter of time before he brought it up again.

"Dr. Grant's human like you," Nedry said. "He bleeds like you, takes a crap like you, and gets tired like you. You have nothing to worry about."

Neither man spoke for several minutes. A group of guests mingled around the area, speaking in a blend of English and Spanish. It became quiet again and Malcolm and Nedry were the only guests in the lobby.

"What am I going to say to them?" Malcolm wondered aloud.

"The usual. 'Hi' or 'how are you?' 'Was your flight okay?' It's not as bad as you think."

"You're right."

"Look at it like this: no one's going to shoot you. No one's going to drug you and then stand by and watch you get beaten up if this doesn't fall through. I had worse crap to deal with when I returned to the island for obvious reasons," Nedry said. As if realizing the dismissive manner in how he had spoken, his tone changed to a more empathetic one. "The park staff respects you and supports what you're doing. You took your chances and it'll pay off. Don't forget you had good reasons for calling him back. I'm sure Lex did a fine job in telling him what's going on. Don't stress it."

"I'll try not to."

"You can't anymore," Nedry said, looking over his shoulder, "because they're here."

Malcolm bolted up from the sofa, his eyes wide like saucers. "They're here? Where?"

Nedry, still reclining in the sofa, pointed ahead at the entrance. Unlike Malcolm, he was content to stay where he was, like a kitten curled up on a blanket. "Too bad they missed brunch."

Malcolm didn't bother to answer. He watched as Lex waited for Alan Grant to get his luggage out of the taxi cab's trunk. They were still outside and in less than a minute, they would walk through the inn's entrance. Grant picked up a shoulder bag and another luggage with wheels. Lex opened the door; she walked in first and he followed.

"I can't believe it," he muttered. "They're here."

Lex spotted him first.

"Dr. Malcolm!" Lex rushed ahead of Grant, her arms outstretched to give him a hug, a wide smile on her face. "I've missed you so much." She hugged him and then pulled away. "We came as soon as we were able to."

"I'm glad you did!" Malcolm smiled widely. "I'm proud of you, Lex—I _knew_ you could do it!"

Lex pulled back and scanned Malcolm's face. He looked happy, confused, and surprised to see them. She eyed Nedry cautiously, who stood up from the couch, and then glanced over her shoulder, making sure Grant was right behind her.

"Did you call them on the island to let them know we're back?" Lex asked.

"No, not yet."

Lex went back to Grant to help him bring in his luggage.

Nedry leaned over to Malcolm. "Don't look so down about it. At least someone's happy to see you."

Malcolm nodded. He noticed Lex hadn't said a word to Nedry, although she had sent him a quick glance. "I just hope this works out."

"Your plan to overthrow Dodgson and his gang? Of course, it'll work. Why wouldn't it?"

A wry smile flashed across Malcolm's face and disappeared instantly. "I'd rather not get into it; it involves mathematics and chaos theory."

"Spare me."

Malcolm chuckled. Grant approached them with Lex by his side. Malcolm counted their footsteps as the distance between them closed up. He still didn't know what he'd say to Grant after all this time. What if Grant was still angry about his relationship with Ellie? What if Grant had plans to leave the island a second time, after he helped get rid of Biosyn? Worse yet, what if Grant didn't want to help at all? Malcolm shook his head. That last question was stupid and he was being overly pessimistic—something Ellie always accused him of. He couldn't afford to think negative, there was too much at stake.

"Hello, Mr. Nedry."

Malcolm snapped out of his imagining-the-worst mode when he heard Grant greet Nedry. Watching the two men shake hands, he found that he was amazed by Grant's friendly manner. Nedry and Grant didn't have much of a working relationship, in fact, they barely knew each other. It didn't stop them from exchanging pleasantries.

"Good afternoon, Dr. Grant. How was your flight?"

Malcolm smirked. Nedry was using the very line he had suggested earlier. That, and Grant knew what Nedry had done to InGen in the past. Malcolm wasn't sure how Grant viewed Nedry, but it didn't seem to matter as Grant treated him respectfully—just as he did Hammond's other employees.

"It went pretty well. I had time to think things over. Lex rested well on the flight."

"I didn't sleep enough," Lex said, laughing. "I closed my eyes and five minutes later we landed in San José."

Malcolm was glad to see her at ease—it had been awhile since he'd seen her like that. Then he turned to Grant. Grant stared at him as though expecting him to speak first. He extended an open palm and to his amazement, Grant did likewise. They shook hands and greeted each other.

"Good to see you again, Dr. Grant." Malcolm forced himself to smile. "I know you returned here on short notice."

"I did, but I needed to come back. By the way, you can call me 'Alan'. There's no need to be formal."

Malcolm nodded. "Same here…you know the name…'Ian'…" He took his hand back. "Would you like to get yourself a room for the night? You and Lex can have your own rooms."

Grant placed his luggage next to the sofa. "I was under the impression that you wanted to go back to the island as soon as possible."

"I do. I just figured the trip was really tiring and that you might want to rest before we go anywhere, even if it's just for today."

"Sounds like a plan. I'll go register right now."

"Wait—" Malcolm fished in his pockets for spare colon notes. He had left the suitcase in his room. "Give me one moment, and I'll return with colon notes for you to pay with." He left the lobby and came back immediately with a suitcase. He took out a handful of colon notes. "That should do it."

"Thanks," Grant said. "I appreciate that." He went to the reception desk.

While he signed in, Malcolm stood back, processing the exchange they just had. It was minimal conversation, polite talk. They couldn't just stand there staring each other down. At the same time, even if their conversation was small, Malcolm felt strange and relieved at the same time. It was weird to speak with Grant after all this time, especially since he used to walk out of every room that Malcolm entered. This was a start. While Grant finished checking himself and Lex into the inn, Malcolm watched Nedry and Lex. Although it was awkward, it was a step in the right direction for them to speak to each other.

"Hi, Mr. Nedry. How are you?"

"Good, thanks; and yourself?"

"Okay."

"'Just okay?' The flight didn't have a laptop for you to play with?"

Lex laughed. "I was asleep the entire time, so I wouldn't know."

Grant came back, after finishing checking himself and Lex into the Adventure Inn. "I don't know about you, but I'm still tired." Grant gave Lex her key card. "I'm going to rest in my room for a few hours. How about we meet up at five in the evening? That'll give you enough time to plan everything, right?"

"Yeah, that should be more than enough time," Malcolm said. "We just need to figure out how we're getting back to the island."

Grant picked up his luggage. "Alright, so we meet here at five? Four?"

"Four-thirty; it's not too late, nor too early."

"That sounds perfect. I'll see you then." Grant turned around and headed down the hallway.

Lex followed him. "I'm going to rest, Dr. Malcolm."

Malcolm nodded and tapped his watch. "Lex, Don't forget to meet here by four-thirty."

"Come wake me up!"

Malcolm shook his head, amused at Lex. _Teenagers,_ he thought. He was about to go back to the sofa to think some more when he nearly bumped into Nedry. Nedry was wearing his infamous grin that looked like he'd either laugh with or at someone, depending on his mood. He elbowed Malcolm, trying to get a rise out of him.

"See? You spent so much time worrying and predicting the worst—it was all for nothing!"

**oOo**

Around a quarter to five in the early evening, Malcolm, Grant, Nedry, and Lex got into a taxi with all their belongings and headed to the CIMA hospital in San José. They came to a mutual decision to visit Hammond first, and return to Isla Nublar that same evening. During the time that Grant and Lex caught up on their rest, Malcolm made last minute details—including making a very brief phone call to the control room. Now the park staff knew they were on the mainland and expected them back before midnight. Nedry took care of their transportation, after explaining to Malcolm about the dock in Puerto Cortez. He told Malcolm he knew of a fisherman who had taken him over before, so maybe he wouldn't mind doing it again for four people.

"Just make sure you pay him good for his trouble," Nedry had told Malcolm. "It's out of his way, but if the price is right, it shouldn't be an issue."

Malcolm had almost made a snippy remark about "if the price is right" and stopped himself. He didn't know why he was feeling so antsy—maybe because everything was coming together.

While Lex and Grant slept in their rooms during the day, Malcolm and Nedry made a trip down to Puerto Cortez to find the fisherman he had mentioned. True enough, the fisherman was there. Malcolm had let Nedry do the talking and at the end, opened up the suitcase full of colon notes. The fisherman's face had brightened. He asked for only half the colon notes for the four passengers, as long as they arrived no later than eight in the evening. That was an easy promise to keep. With their transportation set, Malcolm felt better about going back to the island. Now they had to go visit Hammond and everything would be set.

The taxi parked across the street from the hospital. Grant, Lex, and Nedry took out the luggage, while Malcolm thanked and paid the driver with colon notes. Afterwards, they walked across the street and entered the hospital. Everyone had to sign in first and from there, they found the room Hammond was staying in. It was the same room as before, on the second floor. Lex walked with Grant in the front. Malcolm followed them, buried in his own thoughts. Nedry trailed behind.

"Lex tells me that John's improved a lot," Grant said.

"Lex told you right," Malcolm said. "John's been in speech, occupational, and physical therapy. The hospital has taken great care of him."

"He's walking again!" Lex said, excitedly. "He uses a walker now."

Nedry was silent as he listened to their animated conversation.

They stopped at an elevator and Grant pressed the up button. The doors parted and they stepped inside. The elevator made its way to the second floor accompanied by a low humming noise. Everyone was quiet. Malcolm noticed that Nedry stared at the doors as if he didn't want to walk through them once they opened. He wondered if Nedry felt weird about seeing Hammond after all this time. Or if Nedry had seen Hammond when he'd been brought in to have his injuries treated. He hadn't asked Nedry about it, nor did he plan to. Malcolm figured he wouldn't want to discuss it, since it had probably a humiliating experience for him.

The doors opened and they got out on the second floor. Nedry was the last to leave the elevator. Lex stayed next to Grant the whole time. Malcolm noted that she seemed to cling to him for protection.

"Lead the way, Lex," Grant said.

As they approached Hammond's room in the hospital, Malcolm remembered when Hammond had questioned him about the occurrences that took place on the island when he wasn't there—specifically whenever he and Wu went to Isla Sorna to work on Project 16. It was before his stroke, and despite the unscheduled afternoon naps and the intense headaches, Hammond was alert and sharp as ever. At the time, Malcolm had remained silent and simply listened. Back then, Hammond had the same insistence about him, just as he had when the Jurassic Park project first began. He wouldn't be swayed from his position. He was set in his mode of thinking and there was nothing Malcolm could say or do to change his mind.

"_I know what they think of me…that I'm senile…that because I'm old, I don't have a clue about what's going on. It really hurts that they'd think so little of me. Sometimes I watch them during our staff meetings, wondering which one is going to be the next Dennis. Who's going to betray me next? You don't know what that fear is like, Dr. Malcolm, until you've experienced it. I wouldn't wish that on you or anyone else—save for Lew Dodgson. It's a terrible thing—to not be able to trust your own employees. You constantly keep your eyes open and even when you do, they know they're being watched, so they try not to do or say anything that might give them away. I thought of firing all of them, after getting that first phone call from Dodgson—and after coming back from Isla Sorna and finding Henry's laboratory in shambles. I wanted to fire them, but who would I replace them with? I can't just hire anyone to work on this island. I don't know why I thought it would be a good idea to replace Dennis. At the time, I just wanted someone with his expertise that I could trust. Now I can't trust any of them."_

Malcolm had been tempted to lecture him about firing people before giving them a chance and how you can't dump all the apples on the tree because of one rotten fruit. He had sensed that Hammond simply wanted someone to listen to him—he needed someone to confide in. Ironically, the person he chose to confide in, of all people, was Malcolm. Malcolm didn't know if that was a blessing or a curse. Everything Hammond told him rested on his shoulders. And Hammond told him plenty; especially his anger and hurt from what Nedry had done to the company.

"_He did this…under my nose…he knew Dodgson is our rival and competition and yet, he still worked secretly for him. How long did he think he'd be able to do it before being found out?"_

He and Malcolm had gone for a walk in the park during that particular conversation. Malcolm noted that whenever Hammond spoke about Nedry, he sounded more angry than hurt. Sometimes it was the reverse: he sounded more hurt than angry. He did his best to listen to the emotions behind Hammond's words so that it would give him cues as to what to say—and not to say. At this point, he was choosing not to say anything.

During this conversation, they had been walking past the paddocks, when Hammond stopped in front of the maiasaura enclosure. Malcolm had followed his gaze and saw Harding and Muldoon standing next to a parked gas-powered jeep, talking and gesturing around the area. Harding had lifted his hand, waving to them. Hammond had waved back half-heartedly and put his hand down. Before he did, he squinted, trying to see what exactly Muldoon and Harding were doing. Malcolm never forgot the sharp gasp Hammond uttered.

_"I can't believe him—the damn nerve he has to be drinking around my animals."_

Malcolm had looked up in time to see Muldoon pocket away a tiny flask. It wasn't a secret to anybody that Muldoon was an alcoholic, and that sometimes he drank quite heavily. All the same, he tried not to make it obvious, especially while working inside the park with the dinosaurs. Muldoon had met Malcolm's gaze that day, and never mentioned it. Later on, when Hammond had confronted Muldoon about his drinking, Malcolm overheard Arnold talking it over with him. Arnold had tried to calm him down, while Muldoon ranted about Hammond knowing and how he didn't give a "bloody damn" because he was tired of all the stress of making sure nothing went wrong on the island.

Malcolm focused on the present as they neared Hammond's room. Now _everything_ was wrong on the island. At this point, Hammond had no idea of what happened after was hospitalized. He didn't know about Wu's betrayal or about Baselton playing both sides of the corporate fence. He didn't know that Muldoon had been arrested, that Ellie's greenhouse had been destroyed, or that Harding stressed about sick and dying dinosaurs. Nor did he know the true depths of Arnold's loyalty or how Gennaro shunned Tim and Lex. Hammond had no idea that there were no more velociraptors in Jurassic Park. Most importantly, he had no idea that Dodgson and his Biosyn cronies had taken over Isla Nublar—and that Nedry had tried to warn InGen before it happened.

It was best that Hammond never find out.

Malcolm shivered as a fleeting thought flashed in his mind: had he willingly become part of the problem? After all, hadn't he lectured Hammond and Muldoon several months about miscommunication versus lack of communication? Malcolm bit his lip as he thought about it. _I guess we all failed you, John, in one way or another._ Malcolm didn't want to dwell on that thought, especially since he knew he was doing the right thing by helping InGen get rid of Biosyn. They might have failed Hammond in many ways, but Malcolm was certain that it wasn't over yet. Then, a thought he hadn't previously entertained popped into his mind: _what if John already knows—_

"We're here," Lex said. "This is Grandpa's room, remember, Dr. Malcolm?"

Lex was the first to enter the room. Grant followed her in, accompanied by Malcolm and Nedry. It was the same room as before, a bright area that could hold a maximum of two patients. Hammond's side faced the window, which allowed sunlight to shine through. The same flowers Lex had brought in were situated on the windowsill and in full blossom. Right now, John Hammond was the sole patient in the room. He was leaning on his walker and appeared to be watching the courtyard. He turned around when he heard his visitors walk in.

"Back already?" Hammond smiled, genuinely happy to see he had visitors again.

Lex gave her grandfather a warm bear hug, resting her chin on his shoulder. "Here, sit down." She grasped his hand and helped him sit down on the bed.

"Thank you, hon," Hammond said, holding her shoulder. "I've missed you too. How's Tim?"

"He's doing well, still working on your scrapbook."

Hammond leaned back on his pillows. "Which…" he paused, trying to form the word. After a second of struggle, he managed to say it, "…scrapbook is this?"

"The one with dinosaurs from the park; remember he showed it to you? The first time we came to visit?"

Hammond moved his lips as if memorizing a phrase and then nodded with enthusiasm. "Yes, now I remember. It had his sketches."

"That's right."

Hammond smiled warmly. "My Timmy's quite the artist, isn't he?"

"He sure is," Grant agreed.

Hammond turned in Grant's direction. His face brightened and he held out his hand to him. "I've been waiting a long time for you to show your face around here, Dr. Grant."

Grant shook Hammond's outstretched hand. "It's been awhile, Mr. Hammond."

"Indeed, it has. Where've you been all this time? You don't want to see this old man anymore?" Hammond smiled weakly.

"I've been busy in the States, but I've come back."

"To stay?"

"Yes, I'm not going anywhere this time," Grant said, laughing. "I've been away too long."

"Well, as long as you're back, that's what counts, right?"

"Definitely."

Hammond chuckled and then turned to Malcolm. "Hello, my arch-nemesis."

"'Arch-nemesis'? I thought I was the good guy, fighting villains using chaos theory."

"You scare them all away, I bet."

"Some of them," Malcolm said, winking.

"Some is better than none…" Hammond forced a smile. "Always a pleasure, Dr. Malcolm."

"Same here."

Hammond nodded, and focused on Grant again. "So good to see you, Alan. I thought you forgot about me."

"I didn't," Grant reassured him. "I just needed time for myself."

"As we all do," Hammond said. He paused, deep in thought. Then he pointed in front of him. "Hello, Dennis."

Nedry stayed back. Malcolm, Grant, and Lex noticed he shifted uncomfortably. Being here with Hammond reminded him of his selfish past, and what he had done that brought Hammond to the hospital in the first place.

"Hello, Mr. Hammond."

"You can come over," Hammond said, smiling. "I'm not going to bite."

Nedry took a step forward.

"Have you done what you promised? Have you set things right?"

Nedry looked at the floor and then met Hammond's eyes. "Not yet, but I will."

"That's good; I'm proud of you." Hammond was silent for a moment, as he considered his next words. "You've really come a long way."

Nedry nodded and stayed quiet.

"So what brings you all here? I hope you won't leave after ten minutes."

"I have to speak with Dr. Grant briefly," Malcolm said. "But we'll stay around for a bit. I see the speech therapy continues to work wonders."

"It has; I speak slowly at times…but that's not going to stop me."

"John, when has anything ever stopped you?"

"Never! You should know me by now, Dr. Malcolm." Hammond's eyes flashed. "In any case, they're hoping to give me a release date soon. I can speak well." He gestured towards the walker situated in the corner of the room. "I can walk again with the walker. I'm doing excellent."

Lex's eyes widened with joyful anticipation. "That's awesome, Grandpa! When's the date?"

Malcolm saw Lex's happiness dampen slightly when he sent her a stern look. He didn't want to ruin her mood, but he knew they had to be realistic. As he had told her before she departed to the States, there was no way Hammond could return to the island—not with Biosyn running everything.

And who knows what Lewis Dodgson would do to Hammond if he saw him on Isla Nublar? There was no telling, especially since Malcolm and the rest of the staff knew by now that Dodgson had no limits as to what he would do to destroy InGen. Nothing was over the top for him—harassing Ellie, putting Hammond in the hospital with a debilitating stroke, locking up Malcolm, Tim, and Lex in the emergency bunker with little to no food and water, ordering Nedry's execution, and when that didn't work, having his former teammates brutally beat him to put him in line—_nothing_ fazed Lewis Dodgson. Remaining in the hospital at this point wasn't only to preserve Hammond's sanity—but to ensure his safety.

Malcolm didn't even begin to think about how certain things would be totally different when Hammond finally returned—such as Wu's betrayal. _No, he can't come back yet,_ Malcolm thought. _We have to delay that release date._ He decided to ask Hammond about it, and hoped he didn't sound suspicious.

"Can they hold on that release date?"

Hammond blinked, shocked by Malcolm's response. "Why? Is something going on?"

"No, it's just too soon."

"'Too soon?' I've spent more than enough time here. I'm ready to leave!"

Malcolm nodded. "You're right, you have."

"I'm tired of it and I want to see my animals. How's my staff?"

"They're doing fine," Lex said, speaking up before Malcolm could say anything. "They say hello."

Malcolm sighed inwardly, relieved that Lex had followed along again. He noticed Hammond's eyebrows furrowed together. He was confused, or more so, he was trying to put two and two together of how Nedry arrived with them at the hospital when he was supposed to be locked up. And he was wondering about Grant. Malcolm jumped in right away before Hammond could start firing questions.

"Can you excuse us for a moment? I have to tell Dr. Grant something. We'll be back shortly."

Hammond stared at him. "Sure." The puzzled expression never left his face.

"I'm sure you'd like to spend some alone time with Lex. She's missed you a lot, haven't you, Lex?" Malcolm asked.

Lex nodded. "I'll stay with you, Grandpa."

"I guess I'll stick around too…" Nedry mumbled. "Or drop by the vending machine."

"Be back in a bit," Malcolm said.

Hammond nodded and watched Malcolm and Grant walk out the room.

**oOo**

"By now, I'm sure you've heard about the park's situation," Malcolm said, quietly.

He wasn't sure how this conversation with Grant would go. Even before he started dating Ellie, Grant had given him the cold shoulder. That wasn't the case now. Grant looked him square in the eyes, ready to listen to whatever he had to say.

"Lex told me everything back in Montana," Grant said. "It sounds extremely serious."

"It is."

"And that it happened before there was time to stop it."

"It was like that…somewhat," Malcolm fumbled with his words. "It started little by little and then avalanched."

"I'll help in any way possible, just let me know what has to be done," Grant said. "You know I support InGen all the way."

An uncomfortable silence filled the air and Malcolm broke it before it became too heavy.

"You're the backbone of the park staff. They feel the same way. Right now, I don't have solid plans of what we're going to do about Biosyn. Dennis mentioned Dodgson hates failure, and that somehow we have to thwart him."

Grant looked skeptical. "It's obvious we have to thwart him." He pressed for more information. "Just how exactly will we make Dodgson fail?"

Malcolm looked at the floor, afraid to see Grant's annoyance from such vague planning.

"I don't know," he finally said. "I just know if he could, he'd open up Jurassic Park under Biosyn's name, even if it means driving out the InGen staff."

"We have to stop him from doing that," Grant said.

"Right, it's just a matter of _how _it's going to be done."

Grant nodded.

_Enough of beating around the bush_, Malcolm thought. He might as well bring it up. He had to because it was crucial that he and Grant work together to preserve the company they were loyal to. They could no longer allow their personal situation to get in the way.

"Look…I'm sorry about what happened to you and Ellie. It was never my intention to drive a wedge between you and her."

Grant's shoved his hands in his pockets. Now that Malcolm brought up their unofficial love triangle that involved Ellie, it was either face the situation head on or continue avoiding it. He sighed.

"She reminds me so much of Laura."

"Laura's your ex-wife?"

Grant smiled dryly. "She's my _deceased_ wife. There aren't three ex-Mrs. Grant's in my life."

Malcolm smirked, remembering how he told Grant during the park inspection that he was always on the lookout for the future ex-Mrs. Malcolm. The truth was there were no three ex-Mrs. Malcolm's. There were three women Malcolm had dated in the past and considered marrying. Before he could propose to them, they had broken off all ties with him, frustrated with his eccentricity. "Ex-Mrs. Malcolm" became a humorous way for him to cope with his failed relationships with women. Better to laugh about it, then to wither away.

Ellie was the closest woman to becoming Mrs. Malcolm—more than any woman he had ever dated. She enjoyed listening to his diatribes, and sometimes added her own; she challenged him, and he relished every moment he shared with her, both intellectual and romantic. It was worth noting, but Malcolm chose not to mention it. Now was not the appropriate time.

"All joking aside," Grant said, becoming serious, "Ellie was my favorite student. We worked closely together in Montana and formed a unique bond. I wanted to take it a step further. I don't know if she felt pressured or what."

"She never let on that she did, at least not to me," Malcolm said.

"That's good to know. Anyway, I think I came on too strong. You know how it is in academia—you're in deep shit if you date your students."

Malcolm nodded. He definitely was well aware of what Grant referred to.

"I liked her a lot and had tremendous respect for her—I still do. I just wanted more. I was hoping we could be…" He paused, searching for the right words, "…a professional team together, and it seemed that we had that for a little while…" Grant's voice trailed off.

_Until _I _stepped into the picture,_ Malcolm thought.

Grant didn't have to say it. He knew the direction he was going in: when the inspection took place and Malcolm had first met Ellie Sattler. This marked the beginning of the end of Grant's aspirations to have a shared romance with Ellie. Malcolm had been attracted to her from the moment he saw her. There was no need to reiterate that point as Grant probably still remembered that time very well.

First, in the helicopter, Malcolm had joked about Ellie being familiar with the concept of attraction. Ellie had looked away, and Malcolm had spotted her cheeks blushing furiously. Grant had looked annoyed, but said nothing. During the tour, Malcolm had asked Grant if Ellie was available. Grant had said yes, but later on after the first night of the park inspection, Ellie and Grant had a private conversation about it. Malcolm was met with the conclusion: Grant viewed Ellie and him as a couple, but Ellie didn't see their relationship the same way. _We're professor and student,_ Ellie had emphasized to Grant; and to Malcolm later, _not boyfriend and girlfriend. _

"I wanted to be more involved with her… and when she started dating you, it was hard for me to accept. It was awkward for us when we'd work in the park together. Like I said, she reminded me so much of Laura…and when I lost her, it was like losing Laura all over again. Not in the same way, but still a loss." Grant stopped, realizing he revealed more than he had intended. He glanced at Malcolm and then stared at the floor. "I miss her very much…not as a possible girlfriend, or a student, but just as a person. She's wonderful to be around as I'm sure you know. She's amazing, fun, creative…" He stared into space as he imagined Ellie. "She has a beautiful heart—and she's tenacious, you can't forget that."

"She does have a beautiful heart," Malcolm agreed. He smiled at the mention of "tenacious"—he had used that exact word to describe her during the park inspection. "Ellie is a great woman."

What more could he say? He didn't want to come off like he was rubbing it in Grant's face that they were still dating. And Grant was being honest about everything: his feelings, his view of Ellie, and the entire situation. Malcolm was under the impression that Grant didn't usually express himself openly, so he gave him utmost respect for that. It would be good to share with him what was really going on with Ellie.

"She misses you too."

Grant looked up, locking eyes with Malcolm. "She does?" He sounded surprised.

"Yes, she'll be very happy to know you've returned."

"Can I see her when we get to the park? I'd like to be the first to speak with her—" Grant stopped, realizing the weight of his request. "I mean, if that's okay with you."

"It's fine with me, we can arrange that."

"We're definitely leaving tonight?"

"That's the plan. Dennis and I took care of it before coming here." Malcolm glanced down the hallway at two nurses who went inside a room to check up on a patient. "The sooner we leave; the better."

"How're we getting back?"

"By boat. After we leave here, we'll stop for a quick dinner and then head to Puerto Cortez."

"Sounds good."

A beat of silence passed between them.

"I want Ellie to be happy," Grant said.

"So do I," Malcolm said. "I know she'll be happy to see you."

"I'm glad about that, but what I meant was…if she's happy with you, then I'm happy for her."

Malcolm blinked. He had not been expecting this at all. He wasn't sure what he should say. Grant was letting go of the situation that had made it awkward for him to be around Malcolm and Ellie. He knew it must be hard for Grant to let go of Ellie. Still, Grant's stance was significant. If Grant was happy for Ellie, it meant the brokenness between professor and student could be mended. It also meant that Malcolm and Grant could relate amiably to each other as colleagues, instead of being rivals vying for one woman's attention. _That's better than before,_ Malcolm thought, _I'd rather be on the same side working together as friends. _

"Thank you, Dr.—"

"_Alan. _No formalities, remember?"

"Gotcha; and I'll make sure you're the first to see Ellie when we get back."

Grant smiled. "Thanks." He glanced at his watch. "Should we—"

Lex came over to them, interrupting their conversation. "I'm going to the vending machine. Do you guys want anything?"

Grant and Malcolm exchanged a quick glance. "For Mr. Nedry?" Malcolm asked.

"No, I'm going for myself and Grandpa. He wants to eat potato chips and they won't let him."

"Who's 'they'?" Malcolm asked.

"The hospital staff." Lex shrugged. "His words, not mine."

"And where's Mr. Nedry?" Grant now asked, joining in.

"He's inside talking to Grandpa…Grandpa wanted to speak with him alone."

"Did you speak a lot with him—your grandfather?" Grant asked.

Lex nodded. "Oh yeah, I definitely did. I'm gonna get those chips now. I'll meet you back in the room."

Malcolm and Grant watched as she walked down the hallway and turned the corner.

"Should we check out what's going on?" Grant asked.

"I don't see why not," Malcolm said.

They started back towards Hammond's room and stopped when they got to the entrance. Malcolm was about to enter, when Grant shook his head. Putting a finger to his lips, he indicated that he and Malcolm stay quiet as they overheard the conversation from inside the room.

"Is it safe to assume," Hammond said in a raspy voice, "that this time you'll be on your best behavior, now that Dr. Malcolm's bailed you out?"

"Yes," Nedry replied. "I'm trying to be good."

"I'm proud of you for trying."

"Thanks, Dad."

Malcolm heard Hammond chuckling. Was Nedry being sarcastic? He glanced at Grant, who shrugged. He didn't know what to make of it either. They listened to the rest of their conversation.

"So you've been up and about?" Nedry asked.

"Here and there, Dennis, here and there."

"You'll rollerblade out of here before you know it."

"I hope so. Time drags so slowly when you're cooped up in one room."

"I understand, believe me."

They said more to each other, but Malcolm and Grant couldn't make it out. Then they heard more of their conversation.

"I meant to say tell you thank you for visiting me that day. I didn't expect that."

"It's no problem." Nedry sounded nonchalant as though his act of kindness wasn't extraordinary. "Thought it might cheer you up."

"You're really trying to change; you should be proud of yourself."

"I am, sort of."

"What do you mean?"

"I dunno. I guess I'm sorta proud? Or sorta changing."

"Okay, if that's how you choose to see it."

Malcolm and Grant walked in at that moment. Hammond lay back on his pillows, relaxing. Nedry sat by his side in a folding chair. Lex returned with a bag of chips. She opened the bag and gave it to him.

"Here you go, Grandpa."

"Thanks, Lex."

Nedry got up and put the chair away and stood with Malcolm and Grant.

Lex gave Hammond a hug. "I guess we're going now."

"Already?" Hammond's face wilted.

Malcolm nodded. "It's almost six-thirty. We have to grab a bite to eat and then get back to the island."

"Thank you for visiting." Hammond beamed. "It was really great to see all of you again." Then he became stern. "And don't be strangers! Tell the park staff to come visit me!"

"We will," Lex said.

"And don't forget to take good care of my animals."

"Of course, John," Malcolm said.

They exited the room after giving Hammond a hug or a firm handshake. As they left the hospital, they all hoped the next time they saw Hammond would be under better circumstances with Isla Nublar being run by InGen again.

**oOo**

Around nine-thirty in the evening, the east dock came into view for those on the boat. It was a clear evening with moonlight shining down on the water's surface, creating the illusion of floating diamonds on the water.

After leaving Hammond, the group had dinner at a tiny restaurant on the mainland. Despite the light chatter and delicious Costa Rican cuisine, the question about what would be done about Biosyn hung in the air. It wasn't spoken aloud, but they certainly felt the weight of the situation bearing down on them. After dinner, they went straight to Puerto Cortez. The fisherman had been expecting them, after Malcolm and Nedry's earlier visit, and they set sail right away. Now they were almost there and would arrive at Isla Nublar within the hour.

Malcolm went to the bow of the boat, leaving Lex and Grant talking quietly. Grant had asked to speak with Ellie first, once they arrived on the island. It was as though he had read Malcolm's mind. Malcolm had thought about doing that even before Lex had returned with Grant. It was something that _needed_ to be done so that they could be on better terms with each other.

Most of all, it was for Ellie. She would appreciate this gesture.

Malcolm hoped that Arnold was able to relay the message to Ellie. Just before visiting Hammond in the hospital, Malcolm called the control room from the inn. He had been relieved that Arnold picked up the phone, but quickly realized that Arnold couldn't stay on too long. Malcolm gave him a succinct message: the group would be returning around ten in the evening, and have Harding and Ellie pick them up. Arnold had responded in code: "_we'll be expecting the supply boat to arrive at 10pm, running on a late schedule, I'll let Dr. Harding know_". That was it. Malcolm realized someone from the Biosyn team must've been in the control room listening in on the conversation. Later on, he'd find out what went down on Isla Nublar while he and Lex were gone.

Overall, Malcolm was thrilled that they would be back on the island with reinforcements. On that note, he approached Nedry, who stood by himself on the other side of the vessel. Ever since they had boarded the boat, Nedry hadn't interacted with anybody. He held his bandaged hand and stared at the east dock, less than five miles away now.

"Is everything okay?" Malcolm asked.

"Everything is fine," Nedry said, not taking his eyes off the dock.

"Are you sure? You've been really quiet."

"Just thinking about things."

"About how the staff is going to react to you?"

"Depends on which staff."

Malcolm thought quickly and then took a stab at it. "InGen?"

"InGen…Biosyn too."

For the first time, Malcolm considered Nedry's safety. He should've realized Nedry was putting himself in harm's way to help InGen. The Biosyn team might gang up on him again and finish the job. Malcolm wondered if Nedry was thinking this—he had to be. He was going to ask Nedry if he was afraid of the Biosyn team retaliating against him, when he thought about Dodgson leaving the island for good.

"How will you make Dodgson fail?" He didn't mean to blurt out the question, especially since Nedry's safety was an issue, but now that they were in closing in on the island, he kept wondering about it. "Do you have any ideas?"

"It's like I told you before. I'll help you and the staff, but it won't be on your terms." He walked away, leaving Malcolm standing alone by the guardrail.

**oOo **

At ten o'clock on the dot, the fisherman maneuvered the boat, so that his passengers could disembark at the east dock. They took everything they had brought with them and thanked him graciously for his time. He turned around and left to return to Puerto Cortez. Before leaving, he could make out the headlights of an approaching jeep in the dark jungle. He figured it was a ride for his passengers. The fisherman moved out into the open sea, having done his job for the evening.

Malcolm stood at the east dock, waiting with Grant, Lex, and Nedry. There was a dirt road nearby that led further into the island, but for now they waited at the dock, listening to the water lap gently. Malcolm glanced at his watch, illuminating the digital dial. It was a quarter past ten in the evening. He had told Arnold they would arrive around ten o'clock.

It was strange to be back. Although he had been gone for less than a week, it felt more like a month. He listened to the crickets chirping and the frogs croaking. The night animals' chatter told him he was definitely back on Isla Nublar. Malcolm was thankful they had made it back. The InGen staff would be excited to see them…the Biosyn staff on the other hand…They would be furious. Malcolm thought of Tembo now, and wondered if he had been bailed out of jail. He wouldn't put it past Dodgson, and then he remembered Nedry telling him that Contreras had erased a prisoner's record—probably Tembo's. _Go figure, _Malcolm thought. Either way, he wasn't worried about Biosyn's reaction in the slightest.

Half of the plan had been executed wonderfully. Time would tell if the second half would follow through just as effortlessly.

"So who's picking us up?" Grant asked. "Or are we walking back to the staff lodge?"

"I called Ray about that earlier. He said he'd send Gerry over, so we're hoping that works out."

"You're not expecting them to show up?" Even in the darkness, Malcolm could see Grant's eyebrows knitted together in confusion.

"Ever since Biosyn took over, they've been monitoring the park staff's every move. It'll be a miracle if Robert or Gerry or anyone from InGen shows up." Malcolm heard an approaching vehicle. He turned around and peered down the road. "I think they're here now."

"I hope it's them," Lex said.

A moment later, a gas-powered jeep pulled over to the side of the dirt road. The headlights flicked off and doors opened on both sides. Harding and Ellie came out and looked around. Malcolm noticed Grant's lingering stare on Ellie. Having noticed Grant, Ellie hesitated at first and then came over to them. Lex yawned and waved at Harding. She started towards him, carrying her duffel bag. Everyone was too tired to make the reunion a happy one. Nedry tapped his foot impatiently. Malcolm noticed his demeanor and tried once more to find out what was on his mind.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing's wrong."

"We're going to the lodge as a group."

Nedry shrugged, uninterested. "I'd rather go my own way." He glanced at Harding, who stood several feet away, listening to their conversation.

"What about where you'll stay?" Malcolm asked.

"We'll set up a room for you, Dennis," Harding said. "In the staff lodge."

"That's nice to know…" Nedry hesitated. "Good to see you, Gerry."

"Good to see you too."

"Where's Robert?"

Harding didn't speak for a moment. "He's working."

"At night?" Nedry sounded curious.

"You'll catch him later. So who's coming back to the lodge? Dr. Malcolm, I figured you and Lex would like to get some rest, same with Dr. Grant. Dennis?"

"I'll go my own way."

Malcolm wasn't sure what to make of Nedry's strange attitude. He didn't seem overjoyed to be back. Maybe it had to do with the last couple of times he had shown up on Isla Nublar. He leaned over to Harding. "Just start the jeep. I'll be inside in a few seconds."

Harding nodded. "You want Lex to come along too?"

"Yes." Malcolm called to her. "Lex, go in the front seat."

Lex went inside, yawning. She was obviously very tired. "Where's Tim?"

"Tim's at the lodge. He's been talking about you all day," Harding said, smiling. He opened the passanger's door for her and she got in.

Malcolm remained outside of the jeep with Nedry. Several feet away, he watched Grant and Ellie talk quietly. He didn't want to get involved and right now he had to talk Nedry into leaving with them. Malcolm didn't want Dodgson to know they were back on the island. He would find out eventually, but there was no need for him to find out now. Where Nedry was concerned, it was best for him to go to the staff lodge.

"If you run into the Biosyn staff, who knows what they'll do. It's better for you to lay low and stay with InGen."

"Dr. Malcolm, what more could they do to me, that they haven't done already? Besides, they'll think they've seen a ghost."

"That's one way of looking at it. The other part is you're here to help InGen," Malcolm said, mustering up his most serious tone, "so act like it. Live up to the promise you made to Judge Rodriguez and me." He fought back against the pessimism that he was known for. "Don't let me down."

Nedry climbed into the backseat of the gas-powered jeep. "Another words, you bailed me out to make yourself look good?"

"No, you're doing that for yourself."

"I guess I am, huh?"

Malcolm nodded as he got in on the other side next to Nedry. "This is your chance to redeem yourself. Use it wisely."

Nedry shrugged and became quiet again. Harding twirled the jeep's keys. Lex fidgeted in the front seeat and looked over her shoulder.

"What about Dr. Grant and El? Aren't they coming with us?"

Malcolm glanced behind him. Several feet away, Grant and Ellie stood in the dirt road illuminated by the moonlight. They were several feet apart from each other. Grant glanced at Malcolm and then back at Ellie. They needed their time together.

"You can go, Gerry."

"You want to leave them there?"

Malcolm's heart sped off. "Let's wait it out and see what happens."

**oOo**

Grant and Ellie approached each other in the darkness, their emotions churning under a mask of detachment. Grant felt his steps falter as he approached her, the fear of the unknown causing his skin to prickle lightly. Whatever happened beyond this point, he had no control over, and it scared the hell out of him. Ellie's eyes darted from his face to the ground to his face again. It seemed both wanted to keep up the cool exterior, but that would last for only so long. They knew each other too well for that. Despite the heavy tension between them, joy and apprehension simmered beneath the surface of their reunion.

Even though he was happy to see Ellie again, this moment proved difficult for Grant—more than he expected. He didn't know how he could look Ellie in the eye after all this time. He had left her heartbroken and in tears, because at the time, he was too focused on his own mashed up feelings. He had let his goals regarding his career take over, and he had wanted things to be a certain way between them. He meant well, but he had pushed her away. When she had started dating Malcolm, he had practically cut her off emotionally.

There was nothing wrong with feeling hurt and angry, but to take it out on her—that had caused a great divide between them. He still wanted to work to with her on a professional level and that meant keeping his personal feelings separate. Ellie was more than just the brilliant grad student he had worked with in Snakewater, Montana. She was a dear friend and a fellow colleague. He wanted to renew what they had before he let his heart take over his mind. More than anything, Grant wanted to mend the brokenness between them…and he hoped they could begin that process tonight.

Ellie's heart kept punching her ribcage. Although she wanted to feel angry at Grant, she couldn't bring herself to lash out at him. Tears burned her eyes, but refused to be released. She thought of yelling at him about how he had left at the worst time. She imagined Grant turning his back on her and leaving again permanently if she did that. Why couldn't she be happy? She was tempted to throw her arms around him and hug him for an hour with no interruptions. Ellie shook her head because she couldn't bring herself to show him she was excited he had returned.

Now that he was here, standing in front of her, having returned from the States, no words came to her. They were stuck in her mind, having not yet reached her mouth. She wanted to tell him that she admired him as a professor, but that when he started making moves that implied he wanted more from her, she didn't know how to take it. At first she had been flattered by the attention he lavished on her. Due to his status, Grant arranging dates to meet with her exclusively was no small matter.

More than anything, Ellie adored Grant and his enthusiasm for paleontology. He was the type of professor who loved his field of work so much, that by the end of his classes, she knew her heart was set on paleontology and nothing else. Her love of plants and ancient life led to the perfect career choice: paleobotany. Ellie was certain she was one of many students that Grant had inspired. She never forgot the moment during the park inspection when Grant laid eyes on the triceratops. Sick as she was, the animal was Grant's pride and joy. Ellie remembered the zeal in his voice: _"she was my favorite as a kid. Now I see her, she's the most beautiful thing I ever saw."_

A tear stung Ellie's eye as the memory replayed itself in her mind. The tear fell down her cheek and she quickly wiped it away.

"Ellie?"

"No—don't."

She held out her hand to ward off Grant when he stepped closer. She didn't want him to see her emotions spilling outward. It was only now that she realized her feelings towards Grant weren't as straightforward as she had led herself to believe. For the first time, she admitted herself that she had liked him romantically. It was a feeling that had come and gone for her, but had remained for him, which led to the awkwardness between them. Yet, she asked herself: _how dead are my feelings, if I feel uncomfortable standing in front of him now? _

Ellie sighed, brushing her hair behind her ear nervously. The only way to overcome their situation was to go straight through it. She raised her eyes briefly when she felt his eyes shift away from her face. He hadn't changed much since the last time she saw him. She quickly averted her gaze again when he turned his attention back to her.

"How was the States?" she asked.

"Not too bad. Gave a few lectures…received a surprise visit," Grant said, controlling the teetering emotions that begged him to take Ellie into his arms and hold her all night.

"I'm sure it was better than over here."

"I met with Dr. Sarah Harding, Dr. Robert Burke, and Dr. Jack Horner." He tried to sound excited, but his voice came out flat. "You remember them, don't you?"

"I do." She sighed, unimpressed. "That's great; you got to work with them."

Grant waited a moment, thinking of what to say. "I missed being here."

"Yeah…" She stared at the ground beneath their feet.

He was taking this slow, trying to help her to be comfortable. He noticed Ellie wouldn't look him in the eye. It was time to change that. Glancing over his shoulder at Malcolm, he took a deep breath and took the next step. He rested his hand on her shoulder and lifted her face gently towards his.

"I'm sorry, Ellie…I didn't mean for any of this…I'm sorry I hurt you." He squeezed her shoulder affectionately.

After a long pause, she finally spoke. "It's okay."

_No, it's not, _Grant thought. _Tell her so. _"It's not okay."

"You were upset." She nodded, as though understanding how upset Grant had been.

"And so were you."

Ellie said nothing. Tears brimmed in her eyes. She didn't know if they were tears of sorrow, joy, anger, or regret. Grant's hand caressed her cheek, smoothing out her tears. To his surprise, she flinched at his touch.

"Please don't cry…I hate to see you like this." His voice was stiff, and he felt he was choking back his own tears. "This isn't what I want for you." He wrapped his arms around her and felt her body tense up.

"Since when do you care about what I want?" She had the sudden urge to push him away, but couldn't bring herself to do it. "You don't care…" she whispered in a tight voice. "You only care about yourself and your career."

"That's not true." He released her and looked into her eyes. "I care a lot for you. I want you to be happy, Ellie."

"Happy with _you_."

"I once wanted that, but now I want you to be happy with whomever you choose. If Ian's that man…then so be it."

Ellie looked up, meeting Grant's eyes. "When did you change—?" She shook her head in disbelief. "You're just saying that."

"I'm not." He held her eyes. "I had a lot of time to rethink everything. I still want us to work together…" He hesitated, knowing he was risking rejection again. This time, he would accept it and move on. "If you would like to."

Several feet away, they heard Harding start the gas-powered jeep.

"They're going to leave," Ellie said, turning in that direction. "We have to go."

"Not yet." He still held her close to him. "I'd like us to be a professional team, Ellie…just as we were when John first came to see us in Montana."

Ellie said nothing. Grant sighed and tried again.

"You'd be the world renowned paleobotanist, and I'd be the world renowned paleontologist. Our expertise would be respected. We could be a professional team, Ellie, and nothing more. Can we do that? Would you like that?"

Ellie swallowed the lump in her throat. "I would love that, but I need to know one thing."

"What's that?"

"Are you and Ian going to be fine? I don't want you leaving the room if you see us together, or if he walks in."

She looked over her shoulder at the gas-powered jeep, and could barely make out Malcolm's outline.

Grant nodded solemnly. "For you, Ellie, I would do anything."

"He's not what you think, Alan…it was his idea for you to come back."

"I know."

"Will you give him a chance now?"

Grant was quiet as he thought about everything that had brought them to this point. "I will, you don't need to worry about us not getting along or giving each other the cold shoulder."

"Okay then…"

A long silence followed.

"He's a lucky man though," Grant mused. "In fact, I'd say he's the _right_ man for you."

Ellie's eyebrows rose. "And how would you know that?"

"Remember during the inspection when Ian made that observation? _'God creates dinosaurs. God destroys dinosaurs. God creates man. Man destroys God. Man creates dinosaurs.'_ Remember your response?"

Ellie smiled widely. "Of course, I do! _'Dinosaurs_ eat _man_…_woman inherits the earth'_."

"Any man who can hear a brilliant woman come up with a comeback like that, and who isn't intimidated, is worth it. Once you said that during the tour, he made up his mind about you."

Grant smiled at the memory—he himself remembered being amazed by what she said. It was her clever remarks, her ability to get to the bottom of problems, such as with the sick triceratops, her intelligence, her confidence, her willingness to go over and above, and her beauty that made her so spectacular. But now it was time to let that go…it was time to let _her_ go...

"Dinosaurs eat man…woman inherits the earth," Grant chuckled. "You're something else, Ellie, you know that, right?"

Ellie laughed and pressed her face against his chest. He could smell the flowery scent of her hair and he smiled weakly. There was so much that he loved about her, but now, he was finally content to have them work side by side again, just as they had in Montana before coming to the island. He pulled away from her then, knowing that what he was about to ask her might either crush them for good or start them anew.

"There's just one thing I want in return…and it's the only time I'll ask it."

"What's that?"

"This."

Without hesitation, Grant leaned forward and pressed his lips against hers. Wrapping his arms around her waist, he savored the only time he would passionately kiss the student he had fallen in love with.

**oOo**

"Dr. Malcolm!" Lex called from the front seat. She kept looking over her shoulder, entranced by what the two adults were doing outside. "Look! Look what Dr. Grant is doing to El!"

Harding met Malcolm's eyes in the rearview mirror. "I'm not sure you want to see, Ian."

Malcolm stared at his hands, trying not to think too hard. Next to him, Nedry glanced over his shoulder and whistled.

"Wow, they kissed and made up...literally," Nedry said in a low voice.

"Dr. Malcolm, oh my God…I can't believe it!"

"Give them their privacy, Lex," Malcolm finally said. "Let them talk."

"They're not talking—they're _kissing_!"

Malcolm groaned. When he had left Grant and Ellie to talk alone, he hadn't counted on that. Maybe it was for the best. Maybe it was Grant's way of getting the feelings he had for Ellie out of his system once and for all. If that were the case, Malcolm didn't feel snubbed. From the way Harding and Nedry spoke, he should be offended, and yet, Malcolm wasn't. Even as Lex became more excited by what she was witnessing, he smiled, knowing he did the right thing.

"Gerry, let's go," he said. "We'll drop off Lex and Dennis and come back in a few minutes. Lex, give them their privacy."

Lex huffed and promptly faced forward. Harding started down the dirt road and headed for the lodge. Contrary to what Malcolm told Lex, he looked back to see for himself. He saw Grant and Ellie wrapped together in each other's arms, holding each other. Ellie's eyes were closed and a small smile played on her laps. Malcolm glanced at Grant, who still held Ellie in a warm hug.

From where he stood, Grant mouthed "_thank you_" to Malcolm, radiating genuine happiness and forgiveness.

* * *

**Author's Notes: **Just wanted to send a shout-out and thank you to _Digital Tempest_ for helping me with the Grant/Ellie scene. Your suggestions helped improve this part so much! I greatly appreciate it, and I hope if you ever have a chance to read it, that you see the difference!

**-Sassy Lil Scorpio**


	14. The Cat Came Back

**The Cat Came Back**

"They're back."

Two ominous words. Two simple words no one wanted to say aloud. They had argued amongst themselves on the way to the bungalow about who would tell their boss. Now the words lingered in the air.

"They're back," Raúl Lopez repeated.

The Biosyn team waited for the usual explosive screaming tirade with a good dosage of profanity mixed in. It didn't take a lot to infuriate Lewis Dodgson. They were accustomed to the fireworks show whenever his anger was triggered.

Dodgson's legs were propped on the leather couch and he leaned back, relaxed, with his hands behind his head. He didn't change his posture after Lopez gave him the news.

"Dr. Dodgson?" Lopez asked, unsure if Dodgson had heard him or not.

Dodgson sat up slightly. Sonya Durant and George Lawala found a point in the bungalow to stare at. Henry Wu watched Dodgson, admiring his calm and cool demeanor. George Baselton and Howard King whispered amongst themselves in the kitchen. Only Lopez faced him directly. Roland Tembo joined his side and nodded to indicate he'd deal with the situation now. Lopez stepped back as Tembo approached Dodgson.

"Aren't you going to do something about it?" Tembo pressed.

Dodgson glanced at him, as though noticing him for the first time. He smirked, amused that they stood nervously, while he lay on the couch, completely comfortable.

"Who's back?"

"Dr. Malcolm, Lex, and Dr. Grant."

Dodgson's eyebrows rose, but he made no movement to leave the couch. "Dr. Grant?"

Tembo now turned to Sonya and Lawala, frustrated. "He's not getting it," he whispered. "You see what we're dealing with now? Look how soft he is," Tembo said, keeping his voice low.

Lopez glanced at Dodgson, and swallowed his nerve when he saw the stabbing expression in his boss's face. Just as quickly, Dodgson grinned and sat upright. Lopez couldn't tell if Dodgson had overheard what Tembo had said, or if some other twisted thought had crossed his mind that brought about that familiar charming smile.

"I'm not threatened," Dodgson shrugged as though he didn't have a concern in the world. "So they brought back reinforcements—big fucking deal! When Robert Muldoon returned from his unplanned mini-vacation, it changed nothing for those shitheads." He bolted to his feet and stomped over to where his team huddled together by the entrance. "It's the same with Grant—it makes absolutely no difference. They can bring in the army, the military, the American coast guard, the Navy, and the Marines—this island is _mine_!"

"They should face repercussions for what they did," Tembo growled.

Dodgson shook his head. "It happened because you fucked up. Anyway, they're back now, so let them think they got away with it. I'm not going anywhere and neither are you."

"You're not understanding—"

"No, _you're_ not listening. Don't make me repeat myself, Roland. They're back after playing around, so what. If they think we're going to suddenly hop on a boat to the States just because they brought back their precious Dr. Grant, then they have another thing coming to them."

"You're underestimating them!"

"And you're _over_estimating them. Shut your stupid mouth, Roland, and stop pissing on the floor from worry," Dodgson said, slamming his open palm on the wall. "It's fucking ridiculous."

Tembo stormed out of the bungalow.

Lawala and Sonya exchanged a knowing glance. Arguing against Dodgson was pointless. It led to a dead end with Dodgson having the final say. Even if there was sound proof against what he said, he only listened to himself. Tembo came back inside and leaned against the door, arms folded across his chest.

"But that's not all," Lopez said, glancing at his teammates. "He's with them…I heard—"

"You heard what," Dodgson said, flatly.

"He—you know who!"

"I don't. Why don't you spit it out?"

Lopez sighed and looked to his teammates for help.

Tembo finally broke the news. "You guys didn't finish off that pathetic nerd, so now we have to contend with him butting into Biosyn's business." He glared at his teammates, blaming them for not completing the assignment that night. "That should tell you enough, Dr. Dodgson."

A long silence followed. Dodgson turned to face his team. He opened his mouth to scold them, yell at them, curse at them—and all he could do was laugh hysterically.

**oOo**

In the staff lodge's recreation room, Tim Murphy held his stomach from laughing so hard. When he finally caught his breath, he turned to his older sister, Lex Murphy, who grinned happily.

"So he was super pissed when he got arrested?"

"Yup! He was going nuts because he fell for it! At first, he wasn't going to let me use the bathroom, but then Dr. Malcolm told him 'when you gotta go, you gotta go' and he had no choice."

Tim laughed again. By now, he had Lex tell him countless times about how she and Malcolm had tricked Tembo into getting arrested at the CIMA hospital. It was funnier every time around and each time Tim laughed louder. This time, Robert Muldoon came over with a stern expression written across his face.

"You both need to keep it down," he said, eyeing each of them. "It's great that you two are having fun, but we don't want to draw unnecessary attention to the lodge."

"Got it, Mr. Muldoon," Tim said, still laughing.

Muldoon nodded and offered a grim smile. He approached the doorway where Ray Arnold stood waiting.

"Have you seen them yet?" Muldoon asked.

Arnold shook his head. "They must be catching up at the dock. They need to hurry up—we don't want Biosyn making more hell for us."

"Agreed. Where's Dennis? I thought he came in with Lex."

"Don't know and don't care."

"You can't be like that."

Arnold gave Muldoon a long look. "I'm not looking out for him—he's here to help us and then leave when he's done."

Muldoon felt impatience wash over him, and then relaxed when he heard Lex and Tim laughing on the sofa. At least someone was happy in the recreation room. Arnold had greeted Lex warmly when she had arrived and then brushed off Dennis Nedry. After that, no one knew where Nedry had gone. Muldoon was about to look for him when he heard familiar voices coming from down the hallway. All thoughts of finding Nedry vanished; Muldoon figured he would be safe as long as he didn't run into the Biosyn team. Right now, it was time to greet Alan Grant, who had finally returned after being away for nearly half a year.

Gerry Harding led the way carrying a shoulder bag. Behind him, Alan Grant walked confidently with Ellie Sattler and Ian Malcolm. The three of them were animated and chatting wildly without a care in the world. From down the hallway, Harding waved to Muldoon. A genuine smile lifted Muldoon's face. He rarely smiled, not only because he was always serious, but these days there was not a lot to smile about. Seeing Grant back on the island brought out an optimistic side of Muldoon that he forgot he had—if he even had it to begin with. He started towards Grant to meet him in the hallway, when Tim bolted outside of the recreation room and rushed ahead of him. Scurrying down the hall, Tim ran to meet Grant with Lex following right behind.

"Woah—Tim, easy there!" Grant said, giving him a high-five.

"You better stay this time!" Tim said, laughing. "Or me and Lex will tie you up and keep you prisoner."

Grant laughed along with Ellie and Malcolm. "Don't worry, I'm here to stay." He nodded at Tim and squeezed Lex's shoulder reassuringly.

"We made it back in one piece," Malcolm announced. "Lex and Alan are back on Isla Nublar, no thanks to chaos theory."

"I see that you're a man of your word," Arnold said. "Wow, Ian…you actually did it." Even he couldn't keep from brightly smiling at seeing that Malcolm's plan had worked. "Great to have you back with us, Dr. Grant."

"Thanks, Ray." Grant shook Arnold's hand, noting his tense grip.

"We've got a room for you, Alan," Ellie said.

"Same one, third on the right?" Grant asked.

"Yep, all yours."

"Sounds good, Ellie." Grant nodded, pleased. "Thanks, Gerry, I'll take that bag to my room."

Harding handed him the shoulder bag. "It's great to have you back…words can't really express it…"

"Thank you, Gerry; that means a lot."

Grant looked all around him at the InGen staff and Hammond's grandchildren. He was overwhelmed by the warm responses from everyone. _It's great to be back,_ he thought. Malcolm and Ellie were at ease with each other and with Grant. Tim and Lex were literally bursting out of their skin from sheer excitement at seeing him again. Harding was thrilled, although his response was more subdued, Arnold was actually calm and free from anxiety for once; and Muldoon…

Muldoon removed his fedora and slowly approached Grant. Everyone moved to the side as Muldoon came forward. Tim and Lex looked from Muldoon to Grant and from Grant to Muldoon, unsure of what was going to happen. They knew for certain that these two men were among the most respected and admired in InGen. Malcolm stepped back and analyzed the scene and Ellie bit her lower lip in anticipation. Arnold and Harding backed off and watched everything.

There was awkward tension and unexpressed shock, just as the day Grant had told Muldoon he was leaving to the States. Muldoon extended his hand to Grant and Grant extended his. They shook hands firmly and in mutual respect.

"As I told you that day months ago," Muldoon began, "I speak for the entire staff when I say we greatly appreciate your efforts here—through the good and bad." He gestured to everyone and they nodded in unison. "Welcome back, Dr. Grant."

At this, everyone applauded and cheered.

"Wow, this is really…" Grant struggled to find the right words, "...it's humbling to say the least…thank you, everyone. There's just one thing."

"What's that?" Muldoon asked as he glanced at the staff and then back at Grant.

"None of this 'Dr. Grant' stuff—just Alan. I can do without the formalities."

Everyone laughed and agreed.

"Alright, _Alan,_" Malcolm said, jokingly. "Go to the recreation room, Tim and Lex have something just for you."

Grant smirked in Malcolm's direction and allowed himself to be led into the recreation room.

"Close your eyes!" Tim said.

Grant did as he was told. He felt a female hand grab his hand and lead him around. Ellie's.

"Here, they made something just for you," Ellie said.

"You can open your eyes, Dr. Gr—Alan," Lex said.

Grant opened his eyes to find a chocolate cake decorated with blue and green frosting. The cake sat on a table along with napkins, plastic cups and forks, paper plates, two bottles of soda, bags of potato chips and popcorn, an ice cream scooper, and a bucket of vanilla ice cream. _WELCOME BACK DR. GRANT! _had been scrawled on the top in red letters.

"We hope you like it," Arnold said. "Tim and I made it at the last minute."

"It's really great," Grant said, "I'll begin cutting it."

"You get the biggest slice," Ellie said.

Grant grinned as he sliced the cake and passed it around. Moments later, everyone had clean plates and full bellies. Harding mentioned they had to wake up early for another one of Dodgson's morning meetings. The InGen staff debriefed Grant about it so that he would know what to expect. It went unsaid that Donald Gennaro was still playing both sides—InGen and Biosyn, and Henry Wu wasn't returning to their side anytime soon.

While everyone caught up on what had occurred during Lex's and Malcolm's absence, Nedry had returned to the recreation room. He retreated to the corner and stood alone. No one greeted or approached him. Muldoon saw him standing by himself and noticed how out of place and lonely he appeared…

**oOo**

The following morning, the InGen staff trudged into the cafeteria for their usual meeting. They had cleaned the recreation room of any hint of Grant's welcome-back party and then went to sleep, knowing they would have to wake up in a few hours.

They were surprised to find coffee and pastries set up for them. Dodgson never went out of his way to do this, so something must be up. The InGen staff sat at their usual places and the Biosyn team came by stand guard over them—which had become the norm. No one on the InGen staff fought it anymore, although for a short period of time, no one met in the cafeteria after Malcolm and Lex managed to escape the island. Now, everything seemed….rather strange. Everyone was moving in slow motion except for Dodgson who zipped around the room, checking to make sure everything was in order.

Dodgson came to the podium. "Good morning!" he announced in a cheery tone completely unlike his usual biting tone.

There was murmuring, sideway glances, and feet tapping.

"We have important news to discuss, so let's get started. We were going to use the conference room to hold this meeting, but since we've been in the cafeteria all this time, we decided to stay here. Is everyone accounted for, Howard?"

King nodded. "Everyone's here."

Dodgson smiled wryly. "Yes, everyone _is_ here. Welcome back, Dr. Grant."

Grant simply stared at Dodgson, refusing to answer. He sat with Ellie and Malcolm. No one from the Biosyn team had separated them, which was a surprising, but good thing.

"Some of us are so excited to be back after being absent for so long, that they lack the words to express themselves," Dodgson said, glaring at Grant. "That's perfectly fine with me. The less you say, the more time I have to talk about what lays ahead for InGen's future, although it's more accurate to say that InGen doesn't have a future."

At this, there was cruel laughter from the Biosyn team.

"While you nitwits are still here, you can be of use to us," Dodgson said, eyeing the InGen staff. "We need someone who knows computers, programming, databases and all that good stuff."

"We got Arnold," Lopez said, pointing at him. He went to the front of the cafeteria to get a cup of hot coffee and returned to sit at an empty table.

Arnold didn't blink at the sound of his name.

"Do any of you want to volunteer your computer talents?" Dodgson shot at the InGen staff. "Only one or two of you can take on this mandatory assignment. Any volunteers?"

Arnold stared at the floor, refusing to volunteer his expertise.

"Raúl's right," Wu said. "Ray Arnold's the only computer know-it-all from InGen, but he's still loyal to Hammond and won't help us with what we need. I can see it in his eyes."

Muldoon shook his head, still disappointed by Wu's betrayal and haughty attitude.

"Shake your head all you like, Robert, soon you will be nodding to Dodgson's every demand," Wu said, smugly.

"I'll never be a puppet like you," Muldoon said. "None of us will."

Harding and Arnold watched as Wu rose from his chair and went over to Muldoon, who stood against the wall, refusing to sit like everyone else. Dodgson's chest puffed with pride. Wu was going to put Muldoon in his place. He stood face to face with Muldoon and pointed at Tembo, who sat nearby. Tembo turned around.

"Roland is going to take your place soon. Get used to it," Wu said.

"It'll be my pleasure to replace this inadequate poor excuse for a warden," Tembo said, sneering.

"We'll see about that," Muldoon said.

Dodgson smirked at the small confrontation. He loved seeing his guys talk down to Hammond's.

"Muldoon can file for unemployment. Roland, you can have his job position as 'park warden'," Dodgson said.

"Roland Tembo: Game Warden of Jurassic Park," Tembo said, confidently. "It has a nice ring to it."

"It does," Dodgson agreed, "now let's get back on track. We need someone who knows computers. We have a geneticist, a park warden, an engineer, and a vet." He gestured at the InGen staff as though they were trash on the sidewalk. "We need a hacker—and a damn good one too."

Everyone grew silent when they heard the impatience in Dodgson's voice.

"The computers are still operating under the same system that Nedry designed," Wu offered. "Hammond wanted to get a new systems analyst to redesign the park's computers, but in the end that never happened."

"Why didn't it happen?" Dodgson asked, turning to the InGen staff. They stared back at him. "What the hell is this? Are any of you going to fucking talk today?"

Arnold shifted in his chair and finally spoke. "Hammond never found another a computer programmer that fulfilled all the qualifications."

"Poor Johnny," Dodgson sneered. "Too bad he's still cooped up in that rotten hospital. Soon they'll remove him from his room and place him in the morgue."

Arnold ignored his comment, since he knew Dodgson was baiting him. "He knew it'd be hell to get rid of everything Nedry created for the park and start from scratch."

"Face it, Lew," Baselton said, "we need Dennis…" he paused mid-sentence as the cafeteria's double doors opened and the aforementioned man walked in, "…Nedry?" His statement finished as a question.

"That's my name!"

"What the hell is _he_ doing here?" Lopez said, pointing at him.

"Glad to see you too," Nedry said.

He came over to the table where Lopez was sitting. Grinning the entire time, he took a seat next to him and propped his legs on the table. Lopez muttered under his breath and watched him carefully.

"Wanna see a magic trick, Raúl?" Nedry asked. "I really want to show you."

The hatred in Lopez's eyes darkened. "I want to see you drop dead."

"Too late!" Nedry kicked the cup of coffee onto Lopez's chest.

The hot drink splashed across Lopez's chest and face, burning him. He immediately jumped out of his seat and swiped at Nedry, who ducked. "YOU STUPID BASTARD!"

The Biosyn team was speechless. The InGen staff stared blankly.

Dodgson broke the stunned silence experienced by everyone in the room. Based on what he said next, he was obviously amused at Nedry kicking steaming coffee onto Lopez.

"Dennis, you grace us with your presence?" Dodgson asked.

"More like _insult_ us," Lopez threw in, wiping the coffee off his shirt.

Nedry walked away from Lopez and took a seat next to Arnold. Arnold and the rest of InGen didn't react to his intrusion or actions.

"So how did you get out?"

Dodgson smiled too hard and his eyes lingered on Nedry's right wrist swathed in white gauze. The bandaging wrapped his entire hand. Dodgson could see splints holding the fingers apart. Nedry's fingertips were visible and remained frozen in place as his hand and fingers slowly healed.

"I got out on good behavior."

"That's excellent. What happened to your hand?" Dodgson pointed to the white bandages and Nedry raised it in the air for everyone to see.

"I got into a scuffle with some fellow prisoners."

"What did I tell you about your people skills?" Dodgson scolded.

"You were right, Lew. I need improvement in that area. Not to worry, I'm getting better everyday."

"Absolutely! I must say you have perfect timing. Right now, we're working on improving our staff—we need someone who can help us with computers."

"I'm your man for the job, but if you want to improve anything, start with these guys." He glared at the InGen staff who sat apart from each other in the cafeteria. "You should've kicked them off the island when you had the chance," Nedry said, making a neck-slashing motion with his intact left hand.

"Give me info about each of them," Dodgson said. "They tend to withhold information from me."

"Sure thing, Dr. Dodgson." Nedry pointed at Arnold. "Cigarettes will be the death of you."

Nedry missed Arnold's murderous glare when he turned back to Dodgson.

"Remember the Polaris submarine missile from the sixties? Ray's fingerprints are all over that thing. He also knows a thing or two about theme parks after helping build Disneyworld in Orlando."

"Impressive," Dodgson said with sincere interest. "He's never told me that."

"He's too busy puffing on his cigarettes, but don't get rid of him. He's an intelligent and serious-minded man."

Dodgson now joined Nedry and they walked around the cafeteria. They would stop in front of each InGen employee and speak about them as though they weren't there. They were just merchandise to be brought and sold, like cars in a showcase room. Nedry was the slick salesman and Dodgson was the eager customer.

"Next, we have Gerry Harding," Dodgson said.

"Gerry—I prefer Ben and Jerry's for obvious reasons," Nedry laughed and Dodgson joined him in his jokes about the ice cream brand. "Gerry knows his stuff, he's really passionate. He's the dino quack in case those lizards puke up their food in the middle of the night. He's dedicated."

Harding shrugged in response.

"Will do. How about this one? He's very strange."

Dodgson and Nedry stopped in front of Ian Malcolm. Nedry bit his lip, figuring out what he should say. Then his face brightened.

"Dr. Malcolm's a pessimist. He wants to close the park down. He's not an official InGen employee; he's just an annoying tag-along who spouts out chaos theory any chance he can get."

"If he says one negative word about Jurassic Park, I'll fire him!"

"Don't be hasty. Dr. Malcolm keeps you on your toes. He's good at that. Keep him around because he knows what he's talking about."

Malcolm shook his head, half amused.

They briefly stopped in front of Grant and Ellie.

"Jack and Jill know all about dusting off lizard bones. Plus, they're the real thing, and Lopez is a fake. They're world renowned! Let them stay because they're popular and down-to-earth folks who know their dino history."

Grant and Ellie exchanged an uneasy glance that was a mix of puzzlement and amusement.

Nedry started towards Gennaro and then shook his head.

"What's wrong?" Dodgson asked.

"He's a lawyer—and a horrible one at that. Need I say more?"

Gennaro marched out of the cafeteria and slammed the doors behind him.

Dodgson and Nedry moved to the final man.

"This one I'm sure you'll love to tear apart. Dennis, I present you Robert Muldoon, the soon to be laid-off game warden of Jurassic Park."

Muldoon stood against the wall, refusing to sit down with everyone else. Nedry stood eye to eye with him. Muldoon's steel blue eyes didn't reveal any emotion. He remained untouched by everything going on around him.

"Muldoon's a good guy, why would you want to replace him?" Nedry asked. "He sucks when it comes to jokes. He's too serious for his own good. He's also self-righteous and creates halos for angels. He's trigger-happy—that's the only time you see him crack a smile."

Dodgson gestured to Tembo. "Roland will take his place in the immediate future."

"Tembo?" Nedry busted out laughing. "You want him," he said pointing, at Tembo, "to take Muldoon's place? You must be joking."

Tembo stood up, insulted by Nedry's comments. "It's no joke," he said, stiffly.

"It is to me. You're a joke, Captain Ahab!"

Tembo remained standing.

"Roland, Dennis didn't mean anything by what he said," Dodgson said in a poor attempt to appease him.

"I'm sure he didn't." Tembo glowered at Nedry, who shrugged.

"If you want to take Muldoon's place, you got some tough shoes to fill. No one hunts 'em like Robert."

Dodgson sighed. "I thought you said we should get rid of them, now you're saying we should keep them aboard?" He was confused by Nedry's assessment of the InGen staff

"I changed my mind."

"I noticed."

"Just like I changed my mind about Biosyn. I'll tell you what I think of these guys."

Just as he did with the InGen staff, he went around and picked on the Biosyn team, while they sat and listened. Dodgson went along with him around the cafeteria.

"Roland Tembo is a Robert Muldoon wannabe."

Tembo rose from his chair again, but Nedry didn't stop his harsh assessment of him. "He thinks because he carries a little shotgun and wears khakis that it makes him a certified hunter. It doesn't. Tembo's a piece of trash that should be thrown out right away."

"If I'm 'a piece of trash', then meet me outside after this meeting," Tembo warned. "Then we'll see how much _trash_ you talk."

"I have better things to do. Next. Howard the coward. Dodgson-whipped. Personal assistant? His title should be 'professional ass-wiper'."

King's jaw dropped.

"Who else?" Nedry surveyed the group. "George B. 'B' for 'Broken Arm' and be careful when you take a walk in the park late at night. You might lose a limb."

"Are you threatening me?" Baselton asked through clenched teeth.

"No, I'm just making up a scenario to see your reaction."

"That's enough," Dodgson said from behind.

Nedry pretended he didn't hear him.

"Lawala. You're a good guy, but your loyalties are misplaced. You should be standing against the wall next to him." Nedry pointed at Muldoon. "You're running around with Dodgson and you hate it. You pretend that you live for the thrill of the hunt. You're only fooling yourself."

Lawala glanced at Muldoon, their eyes met briefly. Then he stared at the table. He couldn't respond to what Nedry described, and state what he really thought—not in front of Lewis Dodgson.

"Who's next?"

"No one is. Let's throw a party to welcome you back!" Dodgson nodded at his team. All of them, except Lawala, glared at him like he was a bumbling lunatic.

"Henry…"

"Don't start with me," Wu snapped.

Nedry opened his mouth to free another witty remark when he thought better of it. "I'll get to you eventually."

"It'd be better if we don't talk at all."

"Can't promise you that. Saw-ry."

Dodgson put his arm around Nedry's shoulder as though they were comrades. "Why don't we hold a special dinner in honor of your return?"

Nedry shoved Dodgson's hand off his shoulder and finished critiquing his former teammates. He glanced at Sonya, who stared at him like a cat about to pounce on her prey.

"You're the most radiant thing since sliced bread!"

Sonya gave him the middle finger.

"Love ya too, sexy Sonya. My Kit-Kat bars have more appeal than you. I'd spend a day with them before I'd spend five minutes with you, you trigger-happy-pepper-spraying bitch."

"We should see if the chefs can prepare anything special for tonight," Dodgson tried again.

Nedry pointed at Lopez. "Ah-ha! Thought I forgot about you?"

"I almost shed a tear."

"Want a handkerchief?"

"Only if I can choke you with it." Lopez's eyes narrowed to black slits as he stood up. He grabbed the chair he was sitting on, and for a moment, everyone thought he was going to throw the chair at Nedry.

"That's not very nice." Nedry sniffed. He stepped back when he saw Lopez grab the chair. "You're doomed to be a bone-brusher forever; if I were you I'd throw a pity-party for myself too."

"This assessment coming from a sloppy nerd."

"This coming from a so-called paleontologist who only has a career because he pulls insane theories from his ass. You'll never be an eighth of what Dr. Grant is. He's the real thing. You're not even an amateur, you're a poser."

Lopez's pointed at Nedry and wished his finger was a gun so that he could shoot him down. "You don't even _exist_ to me."

"If I don't exist to you, then how are we having this conversation?"

"Keep talking."

Dodgson came over to Lopez and gently urged him to sit down. Lopez's death glare never left Nedry.

"Guys, come on. Let's not argue, let's be merry! This is a wonderful day. The prodigal son has returned!"

The Biosyn team watched, astounded, as Dodgson put his arm around Nedry's shoulder in a friendly manner and escorted him out of the cafeteria. The InGen staff remained impassive. Nothing on their faces betrayed any emotion as to whether they were elated or worried about Nedry's return.

Meanwhile, Dodgson chatted excitedly and Nedry lifted his right arm with the injured hand halfway up. He couldn't close his injured hand into a fist, but the gesture was obvious, and he made sure the Biosyn team saw what he did next. Nedry's left hand came down slapped his raised upper arm. He sent this message sincerely from his heart:

_Fuck you._

**oOo**

"How do we know we can trust him?" Arnold asked, snapping his lighter shut. He turned in his swiveling chair towards Muldoon, who stood across from him in the control room. "How do we know for sure?"

"We have to give him a chance," Muldoon said.

"What's this '_we_'? You're the one who trusts him—I sure as hell don't."

"Ray, you agreed with Dr. Malcolm's plan. You have to trust that he's on our side."

"Why? He's done nothing to prove he's loyal to us."

"Didn't you see him earlier? He was insulting Dodgson's guys left and right."

"None of that matters since he's the reason InGen is experiencing a crisis." Arnold puffed on his cigarette. "You're really taken in by his act, aren't you?"

"It's not an act."

"I say it is. I don't trust him as far as I can throw him."

"That's your problem." Muldoon turned away.

"Listen to yourself, Robert. It will be _our_ problem if he backstabs us for Biosyn—again!"

"He won't."

Arnold sighed, reluctantly. He hated arguing with Muldoon; everything was easier when they were on the same page. "Are you sure?"

"Positive." Muldoon met his worried eyes.

There was a soft knocking on the control room door. Muldoon gestured for Nedry to come in and he did. Arnold bolted from his seat, pointing his lit cigarette in Nedry's direction.

"Stay right where you are," Arnold demanded.

Nedry halted in his tracks. "Did I come at a bad time?" he asked.

"No, everything's fine," Muldoon reassured him.

"Everything's _not _fine, and I'm not going to pretend it is." Arnold went straight to Nedry, who backed up against the control room's door. "Let me make myself clear," he said, poking Nedry's shoulder, "if you play games here, you go back to jail. I don't like you, I don't trust you, and I sure as hell don't want you here. The only reason I agreed with Dr. Malcolm about bailing you out is because we need your help. Has he told you?"

"Yeah, he—" Nedry started to say.

"Biosyn is occupying this island and I want them off in any way possible. You're here because we're hoping that maybe you'll help us."

Arnold sighed, anxiety washing over him. He had repeated himself and spilled his guts for Nedry to see. He didn't want to do that because he was deathly afraid of Nedry betraying them again. He remembered Muldoon had told him how Nedry had changed, that he had helped him when they were stranded on Isla Sorna. Although Arnold was moved by the fact that Nedry had saved Muldoon's life, (and though he would never admit that to Muldoon), he still didn't understand why Nedry had released the raptors. _Why the hell did he do that? _Arnold wondered. _Didn't he know what it would lead to?_ Months passed and John Hammond still wasn't cleared to return to Isla Nublar.

"I haven't forgotten what you did to John, so don't think you're off the hook."

Nedry stared at the floor when he mentioned Hammond. _It's an act,_ Arnold convinced himself. But was it really? Nedry looked genuinely upset. Arnold suppressed the questions in his mind and pointed at the door.

"Leave this room. I don't want you in here under any circumstances."

To his surprise, Nedry did as he was told without making a cutting remark. Muldoon watched Nedry walk out and turned to Arnold. Arnold blocked the entrance to prevent him from coming back in.

"You're paranoid," Muldoon said.

"I'm not paranoid. I'm protecting InGen's interests."

"While squashing someone who's here to help us."

Arnold turned away from Muldoon. "I don't want to talk about this anymore. You can talk with him after everything he's done like it's no big deal. I will never feel the same or do the same as you. I can't." He stared at the ceiling to avoid Muldoon's piercing stare. "And I don't want him getting some fancy room in the staff lodge. I told Gerry that Dennis could stay in the unfinished room at the end of the first floor hallway and to give him the bare minimum: no bed, just a mattress and a sheet for sleeping; a box to put his clothes and belongings in, a towel, a washcloth, and an alarm clock. Some hygiene products. That's all he gets. Gerry also removed the door after I asked him to."

"You're going too far with this!"

"No, I'm not—and stop defending him."

"I'm _not_ defending him. You're being bloody ridiculous! What's he going to do with the door closed? He's entitled to his privacy just as everyone else on this island."

"It's to prevent him from doing stupid stuff against InGen."

"You need to relax."

"I _am _relaxed," Arnold shot back, harsher than he intended.

Neither man spoke for a full minute.

"I respect where you're coming from," Muldoon finally said.

Arnold nodded and turned around to stare outside of the control room. He stepped aside when he heard Muldoon moving around. When he turned again, Muldoon had Nedry's backpack.

"What are you doing?" Arnold's voice rose.

"I'm giving back what belongs to him."

"What the hell, Robert?" Arnold immediately resumed his position in front of the control room's door.

"Let me out."

"No—this is crazy—"

"Get out of my way."

"I can't believe you're giving that back to him! You've completely let your guard down when it comes to him. Why, Robert?"

"Why can't you get out of my bloody way?"

Both men stared at each other, not recognizing the other. Neither man knew who would give in first. It was just as well. Every time their friendship began to rebuild, it would shatter again. By now, it seemed like resuming their former connection was a lost cause, and yet, they kept on, because when they argued everything grew worse. They would never know how broken the other man was from all the senseless fighting.

Arnold sighed and tried again. "Why are you allowing him to manipulate you like this?"

"Bloody. Move."

Embarrassed, Arnold stepped aside while remaining completely silent.

"Stop worrying so damn much."

Muldoon left the control room and left Arnold floundering in a pool of anxiety.

**oOo**

"Welcome back," Muldoon said, joining Nedry on the visitor center's steps.

Nedry sat by himself, staring at the shallow pond surrounded by palm trees. It was early afternoon, and both InGen and Biosyn were reacting to his return. He had left the visitor center to avoid it. Sitting alone gave him time to collect his thoughts. Muldoon presented his backpack to him. It was the same backpack he had brought with him when he came to warn InGen.

"Thanks," Nedry said, taking it from Muldoon.

Silence passed by awkwardly.

"What happened to your hand? It's all bandaged like you've been in the fight of your life," Muldoon said. He knew what had happened, but didn't voice it.

"It was the fight _for_ my life." Nedry kept his eyes on the pond. "They just bumped and bruised me. I'm fine."

Muldoon shook his head, but chose not to press the point. He knew by now that Nedry hid behind a wall of indifference, sarcasm, and humor, especially where it concerned embarrassing experiences such as the Biosyn team beating him up. Nedry probably had frightening nightmares of the incident when he went to sleep and vivid flashbacks when he was awake. Of course, he would never tell anyone. Muldoon didn't know what to say and he already had the conversation with Malcolm about Dodgson's motives for putting Nedry through such a hellish ordeal. He figured he'd just cut to the reason why Nedry was back on the island.

"So now that you're back…or you with them or us?"

Nedry smirked. "That remains to be seen."

Muldoon remained stone-faced. "For your sake," he said, glancing around the area, "and for everyone on this island not including Biosyn—I hope you're with us this time."

"Dr. Malcolm bailed me out for a reason. I'll prove good on that reason."

"So you're with us?"

"Absolutely."

"Ray's worried about you betraying us again."

Nedry was silent for several minutes and Muldoon was about to repeat what he said when he got a response.

"He has nothing to stress over. InGen's in good hands. It's Biosyn that has to worry."

Nedry looked him straight in his eyes when he said this. Muldoon nodded. Now Arnold would see what he had seen at Isla Sorna: Nedry had changed for the better.

**oOo**

"He's baacccckkk," Sonya announced in a sing-song voice to Lopez and Tembo. They were outside on the steps of the visitor center where Muldoon and Nedry had spoken to each other two hours earlier.

"Unfortunately," Tembo said. He pulled his fedora over his face, shielding himself from the sun.

"Aren't you excited, Raúl?" Sonya asked, giggling.

Lopez didn't answer. He stared through Sonya as though she were glass. His dark eyes were misted over with a glare that read death to anyone who celebrated Nedry's return.

"Raúl?"

Lopez kept staring. His hands were clenched into fists and he squeezed them tighter.

The doors to the visitor center opened and Nedry walked out. Tembo scowled. "How long have you been eavesdropping, Dennis?"

"As long as you've been poaching and calling it hunting." Nedry stretched his arms over his head. "It's hot today and you are too, Cutie-Pie."

Sonya turned away from him; her giggly demeanor had been replaced by a hostile one. "Don't call me 'Cutie-pie'."

"How does 'bitch' sound?"

"Don't. Call. Me. Bitch." She turned around slowly to face him, fury gleaming in her eyes.

"Why? It's not a bad thing." Nedry flashed his famous impish grin. "After the way you sprayed pepper in my eyes, you truly are a cold-hearted bitch."

"I see some of us hold grudges."

"When it's warranted."

Lopez and Tembo exchanged a glance and listened to Sonya's and Nedry's edgy banter.

"Sonya-pie, 'bitch' is a term of endearment I reserve for those special to me, especially lovely ladies like you. I used to have a crush on you."

Sonya batted her eyelashes in a mocking prissy manner. "Do tell."

"Let's see, you're a beautiful, intelligent…" Nedry stepped over to her and ran his left fingers through her long black hair.

Sonya's eyes lit up as he listed compliments.

"…talented and curvy whore. Yep, that sounds right."

Sonya's eyes froze over, but her voice maintained its warm calm note. "Whore begins with a 'w'."

"It has an 'h' sound. Close enough."

He released her hair and stepped back. His eyes locked with Lopez's furious glare. Lopez wasn't entertained and Tembo looked like he wanted to poach him. _What else is new?_ Nedry thought.

"How about happy? That's a nice h-word."

"How about you get out of my face."

Nedry held up his hands as though he'd been caught stealing and wanted to show he had nothing to hide. "Fine, Sonya-pie. Your wish is my command. If you want a back massage—"

"She won't need one from you," Lopez snapped. "Get the hell out of here!"

"Look who it is. The jealous boyfriend, bitter co-worker—"

Lopez cut him off a second time. "The so-called bone-brusher who left you broken and choking on your own blood."

"How could I forget?"

"You obviously did, otherwise you wouldn't be out here doing what you do best."

"And what's that?"

"Talking shit." Lopez stepped forward to Nedry until they were face to face. "Maybe you need another beating to teach you to keep your mouth shut."

Nedry grew quiet and stepped back from Lopez.

"You wanna continue talking trash? Or do you want your other fingers broken?"

Nedry checked out his intact left hand. "No, it's happy that it can type. I'll leave you lovebirds alone." He smirked at Tembo. "You three hang out a lot together. Do you pass Sonya around and take turns with her?"

Lopez's eyes looked like they were going to bust out of his skull. Sonya blinked.

Tembo stared blankly at him, retaining his stony composure. Sonya opened her mouth to say something, but half-complete words stumbled out.

"I was only kidding, Sonya-pie." He grabbed her wrist and kissed the back of her palm. She yanked back her hand, enraged. Nedry trotted down the stairs and then looked back. "Don't take it personal, baby-cakes. You'll always have a place in my heart." Nedry blew a kiss to Sonya and then strolled down the road that led into the park.

Tembo watched him leave, his olive green eyes unblinking and focused. Nedry's whistling reached his ears and he would rather be deaf than listen to his obnoxious tunes. Then he turned to Sonya and Lopez, shaking his head.

"Get a grip. Both of you."

"That stupid asshole," Sonya muttered.

"Listen to yourself! You let him get under this!" Tembo pinched the skin on his arm. "You can't let him do that to you. When you both stand there making faces, you let him win."

"We're not as thick-skinned as you, Roland. We humbly apologize," Lopez said in a low voice.

Tembo swung his clenched fist in Lopez's face.

"—the hell was that for?" Lopez said, grasping his nose.

"I was right. You need thick skin."

Tembo went to the doors of the visitor center. With his back turned towards them, he cursed under his breath about the way they handled themselves around Nedry. It was sickening, pathetic, and worst of all, pitiful. It was a disgusting shame that they allowed Nedry, of all people, to get to them.

"Since you know so much about not letting that little prick get to you, why don't you spare us a tip?" Lopez said. Sonya nodded in agreement.

Tembo turned around to face them. "Here's a start—find someone who you know you are superior over. Hone your attention on that particular person and work on making sure you are better than that individual in every way. If you do that, then you won't waste time and energy on a shabby excuse for a human being. Focus on higher things."

"What about Dennis?" Sonya asked.

"I am a _hundred_ thousand times the man that he is, that's why he doesn't get to me," Tembo shot back. "That's why his childish antics, as annoying as they are, don't cause me to break out in a cold sweat as it does you and Raúl. He's always going to piss you off; you have to do your damned best to not show it."

"Who's the man—or woman—you want to beat?"

"That, Sonya, is quite simple. The man I _know_ I'm superior over, in _every _way possible is Robert Muldoon."

"That's pretty damn obvious," Lopez said.

"Learn everything about your enemy—strengths and weaknesses. Raúl, this last tidbit is for you," Tembo pointed at him. "The enemy of your enemy is your friend. Never forget that."

Lopez let the words sink into his mind. "For you, that would be Dennis."

Tembo shook his head. "I already established that he isn't worthy of my attention. So even though you're correct, Raúl, I can take care of Muldoon on my own, which proves how much better I am—I don't need my enemy's enemy to assist me."

He held Lopez's glare and then went inside the visitor center, leaving Sonya and Lopez to contemplate on his words. It was unclear if Lopez realized that Tembo had insulted him.

"You know the enemy of your enemy," Sonya said.

Lopez nodded. "Muldoon."

"Go find him. I'm sure he won't mind if you two go against him."

**oOo**

"Robert Muldoon."

Muldoon was in the maintenance shed looking for spare tools for the park workers to use for the island's greenery, when he heard someone behind him. He glanced over his shoulder. Lopez approached him, sneering the entire time. Muldoon turned his attention to getting what he needed. Tembo had come in minutes before trying to start an argument with him. He had left, unsuccessful, and threatened to return later. Now Lopez was here?

"Just the person I'm looking for."

"Can't talk right now," Muldoon said, rushing past Lopez. He had to get back to the front of the visitor center. The workers were waiting for him.

"I'm sure you can spare five minutes."

"Maybe." Muldoon's steel blue eyes narrowed.

"You and I have a common interest."

"Which is?"

"You're a smart man, Robert. Don't take me for a fool."

Muldoon set the items down and turned to Lopez. Maybe if he gave a minute of his time it would make Lopez leave faster. "What do you want?"

"A wise man told me 'the enemy of my enemy is my friend'."

Muldoon thought back to when he had heard that saying. It had come from Lopez when he was stranded on Isla Sorna.

"And who's this wise man be?"

"Roland Tembo."

"He's foolish," Muldoon said. "You don't get far in this world with an inflated ego."

Lopez grimaced, but ignored his words. That rivalry was between Tembo and Muldoon. He knew Tembo wouldn't want him interfering, even to help him.

"Do you know who my friend is in that equation?"

"I have better things to think about."

"I'm not leaving anytime soon."

Muldoon's steel blue eyes revealed no emotion. "Who is your so-called enemy?" he asked, dryly. "That you claim we share."

Lopez grinned, thrilled that Muldoon was finally showing interest in what he was talking about.

"Dennis Nedry. I'm sure you've wanted to take him out for a long time."

Muldoon didn't reply. He thought of what Arnold told him earlier: Nedry was manipulating him and Muldoon had let his guard down. It was true; he had let his guard down a lot. Many things had changed since Isla Sorna. The mutual hatred between him and Nedry had evaporated.

Lopez on the other hand—Nedry had mentioned they didn't get along. Muldoon had noticed it too. What would teaming up with Lopez do? _Nothing,_ Muldoon thought. Moreover, he didn't want to affiliate himself with anyone from Biosyn, even if it were Lawala or Sonya from his past. He acknowledged that he had a different connection to Nedry since he had been originally aligned with InGen. But, Lopez…?

"You're shaking your head," Lopez growled.

"I have no interest in taking out Nedry, anymore than I want to be bothered with you." He turned back to what he was doing.

"That stupid felon deserves to be six feet under."

Muldoon's eyebrows rose in surprise. He had no idea Lopez's hatred for Nedry went that far. "It's not my place to say where he deserves to be."

"You know that isn't true."

"Strike what I said. It's not my place to say he deserves death. Anyway, I have things to do."

He pushed past Lopez, who grunted.

"You'll regret this…but I'll leave on a positive note. Should you change your mind, and I'm sure you will—"

"Don't count on it."

"You know where to find me."

**oOo**

"He's an immature jack-ass. I wished he'd drown himself in the ocean," Sonya grumbled as she opened the double doors to the cafeteria. "I'm not even hungry."

"Sounds like he really pissed you off," Lawala said.

Sonya whirled around. "You _think_, George?"

"You know it's not true, so don't worry about it."

Lawala watched Sonya sit down with Lopez and Tembo, his suggestion ignored. He might as well have been talking to the wind. Sonya had told him what happened earlier: Nedry hinted that she was fooling around with Tembo and Lopez. He didn't know why she cared so much, since she thrived on attention.

He knew she was shocked to see Nedry return, but other than that…everything was usual. Already, Nedry was infuriating everyone. It's what he always did and Lawala knew well enough not to pay attention to his nonsense. Then again, Nedry didn't go out of his way to irritate Lawala. Lawala noticed this right away, but kept his thoughts to himself. He was secretly glad to see Nedry was okay, although he would never reveal that to the team. Lawala had learned long ago the less he said, the better off he was.

"Are you sitting with us, George?"

Lawala turned when he heard Lopez's voice. Lopez gestured to the empty seat beside him. Tembo and Sonya sat next to each other across from him. Lawala went over to the table.

"What's up?"

Lopez pointed at Dodgson, who sat alone at a table, waiting for someone. Seconds later, Dodgson gestured at an empty chair to Nedry, who sat down across from him.

"That lowlife is trying to reclaim his spot as Dr. Dodgson's crowned jewel. I won't let him get away with it." Lopez glared at Nedry, who was oblivious to what was going on with the Biosyn team.

Lawala resisted the urge to tell Lopez to knock it off. Even resisting the urge to shake his head took a huge effort on his part. Lawala took great care to not give away what he truly felt towards the team. _You're getting upset over nothing,_ he wanted to tell Lopez. _Get over yourself. _Instead, he simply glanced in Dodgson's direction and then redirected his attention back to the team, hoping for something to distract the team from griping about Nedry's return.

"May I join you guys?" Wu asked, coming over.

Lopez glanced at him and pointed. "Yeah, bring a chair over. We have lots to discuss."

"If it's about Dennis," Wu said, his dark eyes flashing, "no comment."

**oOo**

"I still don't trust him, but he's here now," Arnold said, glancing at Nedry, who sat across from Dodgson. He sighed reluctantly. "We just have to wait and see what happens."

Grant listened as he finished eating his dinner. He understood Arnold's perspective about Nedry, but his mind was on Wu, who just entered the cafeteria and sat with the Biosyn team. Wu completely ignored InGen as though they didn't exist. Arnold had explained it was better when Wu gave them the cold shoulder. It was either that or he'd insult the InGen staff nonstop. Grant shook his head, still in disbelief that Wu had abandoned InGen to join Biosyn. When they had arrived in Costa Rica, Lex had described Wu's transformation from a friendly InGen employee to a disrespectful Biosyn team member.

"Robert hasn't been himself—but don't tell him I told you that."

"You've had this conversation with him before?" Grant asked.

"Too many times that I've lost count. He'll always be my friend no matter what. I just hate to see you-know-who manipulate him."

Grant nodded. "Ian bailed him out on the condition that he would help InGen. I'm going to stay optimistic on this one."

"At least one of us is," Arnold said, chuckling a little.

"We have to be," Grant said. "It's tough, but we can't give up hope."

"Maybe it won't turn out bad, but who knows. The way things work on this island, I'm prepared for the worst; I'm actually expecting it."

Grant smiled. "You sound like Ian."

"I know."

"Hey!"

Grant turned around at the person who had shouted 'hey!'

"Not you, Dr. Grant. I'm talking to Ray."

Grant stared at Wu. Wu leaned back in his chair in a cocky posture totally unlike him. Who was Wu? No one knew anymore.

"Put out your damn cigarette! Didn't you read the sign when you came in? This is a non-smoking area!"

Tembo, Sonya, and Lopez laughed hysterically. Lawala appeared bored and annoyed; it was hard to tell which one he felt more. Wu was seated at the edge and rocked back and forth.

Arnold was about to respond and stopped when Grant shook his head.

"Don't give him the time of day, he's not worth it."

"Everyday he regresses," Arnold said. "It's like he was never with us. Sometimes I wonder if he was with them all along."

Grant nodded. It was sad to see how Wu acted, now that he was with Biosyn. He then remembered he had to speak with Ellie at her greenhouse. That was the one good thing about his return: he was rebuilding his friendship with Ellie and Malcolm. They had a long way to go, but the process had begun. That was the most important thing. Malcolm had helped with that and Grant was grateful he took the lead. The three of them would mend what had been broken before. Grant wondered if InGen would ever mend itself.

"I have to get going, Ray. I'll speak with you soon."

"No problem. Take it easy, Dr. Grant," Arnold said.

Grant smiled. "Call me 'Alan'. I can do without the formalities."

He left the cafeteria. Arnold watched him leave and then turned to Dodgson and Nedry. He watched them talk and wondered what was going on. Muldoon came in minute and sat across with Arnold. Arnold noticed Lopez glared at Muldoon as he came over. Muldoon appeared not to notice or care.

"How's it going?" Muldoon asked.

Arnold pointed and Muldoon glanced in the direction. Nedry and Dodgson were engaged in a heated conversation.

"There he is, helping us out to the best of his ability," Arnold said. "Yeah, right." He stubbed his cigarette in his ashtray.

**oOo**

Dodgson folded his hands on the table. A plate of poached salmon sat in front of him, half eaten. He had requested for Nedry to meet him here so they could discuss his future in Biosyn and if he still had (or wanted) a place on the team. This was the most "professional" decision Dodgson had ever made in his career, considering how unethical he was.

Nedry came over and sat down after Dodgson invited him. He watched Dodgson enjoy his dinner, and realized this was one of the few times he had no appetite. Dodgson had offered to order him a meal and Nedry declined. He wanted to get this over with.

"Thank you for showing up on time," Dodgson said.

Nedry nodded.

"So let's talk about your place in the company. We went over it briefly. Before I begin, is there anything you want to ask me? I'm sure you have lots of questions."

Nedry didn't hesitate. "I do."

"Whenever you're ready."

Nedry glanced at his right hand covered with white bandages. He shivered when he remembered the brutal beating he received from the Biosyn team. _It's now or never, _he thought. "Why did you have everyone gang up on me?"

Dodgson shrugged. "I don't understand the problem."

"You don't understand the problem?" Nedry asked incredulously.

"No, I don't."

"You know what you did—you watched it happen!"

"Oh, _that_," Dodgson said, playing with the napkin on his lap. He sighed and met Nedry's hateful stare. "My feelings were hurt."

Nedry's jaw dropped. "_Hurt_? Lewis—you got the team to beat the hell out of me because your feelings were hurt?"

"It's more than hurt feelings." Dodgson leaned over the table. "You lack discipline, Dennis."

"I don't believe you."

"Believe me, it's true."

"No, I mean I can't believe you almost had me killed over your 'hurt feelings' crap."

Dodgson smiled, knowing he had control of the conversation. "Everyone has faults—let's examine Biosyn's employees." He pointed at the table where his team ate dinner. "Roland is hot-headed and thinks he knows it all. Raúl has a violent streak that he doesn't control very well—"

"He makes no effort to."

"Let me finish! George Lawala isn't with the program. You have to constantly get on him to follow through; he wasn't always like that. Sonya, I have no complaints about except her using her feminine wiles to get what she wants—it's not always a bad thing. Henry's a new acquisition. So far, I have no complaints about him."

"Who gives two craps about those jerks? I already gave you my assessment of them."

"Yes, and this is _my_ assessment of them. Howard's a weakling and George Baselton is indecisive."

"Can we move on?" Nedry asked, impatiently.

"Absolutely. Back to you: you lack discipline. Face it, Dennis, if it weren't for me, you'd still be locked up in a ten by eight prison cell blaming everyone for your mistakes."

"That's not true."

"It is." Dodgson said, picking up the elegant napkin holder. He examined it and then set it down. He pointed at Muldoon. "Do you know why you hate him so much?"

"I don't hate him anymore."

"That's not what I'm asking you. I'm asking do you know why you hate him so much."

"And I said I don't hate him anymore."

"Focus on the question at hand."

Nedry sighed. "Because he testified against me. He was there when I first got arrested."

"No, because he's the quintessential goody-two-shoes. He's everything you're not—patient, hard-working, honest, serious, and focused. You _wish_ you could be like him. You dream about it all the time." Dodgson shook his head, as though he pitied Nedry. "But you're not Robert Muldoon. You fall short of his mountain-high standards, and you always will."

Nedry glanced in Muldoon's direction and met his cold stare. His scars seemed more pronounced whenever he had a serious expression on his face, which was most of the time. Nedry hated when Muldoon stared him down, it unraveled him. He didn't say anything; he just stared, unblinking and unemotional like raptors he despised. Nedry wondered if Muldoon knew how similar he behaved to that particular dinosaur.

"He has self-respect and discipline—_you don't_."

"Then hire him since you admire him so much."

"Envy will get you nowhere." Dodgson laughed. "We both know Muldoon would shoot himself in the head before working for me."

"He has too much integrity for you, Lew, and just to clarify: I'm not envious of him, I _respect _him."

"You've really changed," Dodgson made sure his sarcasm was over the top. "Respecting the man who put you away. Should I be impressed?"

Nedry ignored his snide comment. "I know someone who's so jealous he bleeds green—Raúl Lopez. Son of a bitch was always pissed about my position on the team."

"That's his problem."

"It became my problem that night in the cell. I've never been punched so hard in my life. My face was numb for days. I couldn't even see out of my left eye."

"You should be thankful you're still alive."

"I am." Nedry waved to Lopez who gave him the middle finger. "See, I show gratitude. He should too."

"You still lack discipline. You need to learn to focus and apply yourself in one place. You're scattered and don't know what you want."

"And I suppose you're going to guide me?" Nedry asked, coldly.

"I will if you let me."

"I can guide myself."

"You need my experience and assistance. Anyway, enough of that, we're going in circles. Let's talk about dinosaurs."

Nedry grimaced when Dodgson changed the topic. Dodgson loved to do that when he knew he couldn't get anywhere with an issue, but he'd eventually go back to the original topic.

"What about the dumb lizards?"

"They're not dumb," Dodgson sounded like a frustrated eleven-year-old trying to explain to his mother why dinosaurs were the best thing in the world. "See, this is what I'm talking about. I wish you had more fear in your heart."

"I wish those reptiles never existed. It'd save you and John the trouble you both have with each other."

"For a moment, humor me."

Nedry tapped his foot on the floor. He'd humor Dodgson.

"Imagine what it'd be like if _I_ owned Jurassic Park. What if _I_ were CEO of InGen?"

"I'd like to imagine Sonya in a silk red thong—that's far more appealing than you being the CEO of InGen."

Dodgson ignored him. "I'm going to rule this island. Everyone will leap at my command and the dinosaurs will be completely controlled. There will never be a problem as long as I'm in charge. If anyone has a problem, they can do jumping-jacks in the t-rex paddock."

"You're insane."

"Nobody better start anything they can't finish, otherwise they'll find themselves on the other side of the electrified fences. Even the dinosaurs will fear me. If they act up, they won't get fed."

"You can't control them. You know what? I'll let Dr. Malcolm educate you on what happens when you attempt to control a living species in a park environment."

"They'll be frightened when they hear my step. My breathing will strike terror in their hearts."

"You're delusional," Nedry said between laughs.

Dodgson straightened up in his chair and removed his tinted shades. He was very serious about his aspirations.

"I'm in control. No one can go above me. I rule this island and this park, every last part of it from the blades of grass to each brick in the building's foundations—all of that belongs to me. Every cell in the dinosaurs is mine. Every drop of blood, I keep. They don't own themselves. I own the resort, the plants, the food, the water, the sunlight hitting the island, the clouds and fog surrounding the high areas—every damn thing. I own my team and I own InGen."

"You think you're God?

"Sometimes."

"You need the fear _of God_ in your heart."

"Why's that?"

"Listen to yourself. That's all I have to say." Nedry stood up to leave.

"Sit down!" Dodgson ordered. "I'm not finished with you. We're not done talking."

"I thought we were."

"Sit down and let's finish."

Sighing, Nedry sat down again. He had stopped laughing and now drummed his fingers loudly on the table.

"Like I said before, my feelings were hurt. I gave you everything you wanted."

"You gave me _nothing_!" Nedry shot back. "Only you would believe that 'I made your wishes come true' bullshit. Save it for that fame-starved Dr. Wu."

"I disagree: I gave you what you wanted. I gave you money and a chance to use your computer skills again. Most of all, I granted you your freedom."

Nedry looked away, refusing to listen again to Dodgson's emotional manipulation. Nearby, Muldoon drank from his flask; he watched them, quiet and ever observant.

"For a price. For a price, you did those things. It wasn't out of the kindness of your heart."

"Everything has a price." Dodgson shrugged as if to say: _that's life, kiddo._

"That's true, but—"

"But nothing! I gave you what you wanted. Heaven help me, I sound like a scratched CD. Then you have the nerve to backstab me. Come on, Dennis. I'm not John Hammond. I'm not going to take it."

Nedry clenched his fist and brought it under his chin, restraining himself from knocking out Dodgson. He was furious by his pronouncement: _I'm not John Hammond. I'm not going to take it_. Dodgson never stopped. He didn't possess a sliver of compassion.

"Leave Hammond out of this. You know why I left."

Dodgson glanced around the cafeteria and then met Nedry's insistent gaze. "I do?"

"Yes, you do. People got injured."

"People like who?" Dodgson asked in a loud voice. "People you hated? People you hurt because you blamed them for your failings?"

Nedry couldn't speak for a moment and it seemed like the entire cafeteria had silenced to hear his confrontation with Dodgson. He glanced behind him and saw Arnold sitting with Muldoon. Muldoon had put his flask away and Arnold lit a cigarette. Both men were watching and listening.

"Look, Muldoon got scratched. Big fucking deal. Hammond has a hard time communicating; he's always had that problem, only now it's worse. So he can't feel his left arm. Am I supposed to stop my life for those inconsequential things?"

Nedry stared at Dodgson in disbelief. "I'm not answering that question."

"Why? It's a good question that warrants an answer."

Nedry shook his head. "It doesn't. You're ridiculous."

"So are you."

"No, I'm just…" Nedry trailed off wondering what direction to go in.

"You're just what? Confused? Depressed? Get over it and you'll be fine. Like I told you awhile back: our professional relationship is symbiotic. We both benefit from it. You need something and I supply it. It's that simple."

"If only it was."

Nedry looked at the wall past Dodgson. It was the only thing he could do at this point. What he really wanted to do was slam his fist into Dodgson's face, but he didn't dare chance it. Not with the Biosyn team sitting nearby. Nedry glanced over his shoulder at them and grew angry. He couldn't believe he was holding back from striking Dodgson—and all because he was afraid they would retaliate against him. _Get a grip, Dennis, _he told himself. _They're lousy screws who've flunked at life. _He was lost in his thoughts and then heard a fist pound on the table. Dodgson recaptured his attention.

"It's very simple! When I first approached you about stealing embryos, I didn't twist your arm. I said this is what I need and this is what I'll give you if you steal for me. You needed the money and I was more than happy to give it to you, under the condition that you followed through with our bargain."

"What about Henry? Was it the same?"

Dodgson looked at Nedry as if he five hands on each arm.

"What_ about _Henry? Don't concern yourself with him. Back to our discussion. I don't twist arms. Usually, I don't. It's rare when I have to break a person's arm to get what I want, but if I have to, then I will."

Nedry sighed. Talking to Dodgson was like riding a wild, out of control carousel. You went in circles faster and faster, until you felt dizzy and wanted to get off the ride. He decided to try one more time.

"Why did you do it?"

"I already gave you my answer. Take it or leave it."

"Why?"

"I wanted you to know firsthand what betrayal feels like…physically. I wanted you to experience the intense pain a person feels when you take advantage of their trust. It's hurts, doesn't it?"

Nedry stared at the table and then down at his hands on his lap. He touched the bandages wrapped around his broken fingers. When he didn't answer, Dodgson continued.

"You were incarcerated for two years when I sent Sonya and Lopez to get you."

Nedry shook his head. "One year, three hundred sixty-four days, twenty-two hours, and thirty-odd minutes." He grinned, pleased by his exact count.

"If you want to be exact about it," Dodgson growled. "One year, three hundred sixty-four days, twenty-two hours, and thirty-odd minutes. Whatever. Give a few more hours; you would've been locked up for two years. During that entire time, you didn't learn a damn thing. You walked in a traitor and walked out a traitor."

Nedry shrugged. "Your point is?"

Dodgson leaned across the table. "That's exactly my point. Your indifference to anybody except yourself is repulsive."

"And you're a big hypocrite—but that's another conversation for another day."

Dodgson blinked at Nedry's words. _Okay, Dennis, you got me there,_ but he didn't voice it. Instead, he continued on as if Nedry hadn't said anything.

"I had to show you how I felt."

"You did. Remember Roland? King? Baselton? A kid named Eric Kirby who had no idea what he was doing or getting into?"

"It wasn't enough. Besides, you got away."

"You sound disappointed."

"I was, but I promised I'd make you pay for your betrayal. Which you did and I was there to witness it. This time, you learned your fucking lesson."

Nedry held up his bandaged hand to show tangible proof that he had learned what Dodgson wanted to teach him. Dodgson nodded, pleased. He picked up the salt-shaker between them and sprinkled salt over his meal. He was aware that he was the only one who had an appetite in the entire cafeteria. Nedry watched Dodgson eat his dinner, completely unmoved by what he proudly admitted.

"I was devastated when you left."

"No, you were infuriated."

Dodgson slammed the salt-shaker on the table. "Can you blame me? I paid a doctor barely out of medical school five hundred thousand dollars to take care of your ankle!"

"That I didn't want to see."

"You injured my employees and laughed."

"You thought it was funny when you sent them to kill me."

"I put you above everyone! Including Raúl."

"You need to talk to him about that."

"I wasted time and money trying to cultivate you."

Nedry pointed an accusing finger at Dodgson, who immediately became quiet.

"That's where you messed up, Lew. _No one_ 'cultivates' me. No handcuffs-happy corrupt cop, no D.O.C. prison warden; no self-righteous macho animal hunter; no 'spare-no-expense' dreaming billionaire, and _definitely _no ruthless geneticist can tame me even if he's paying up a seven digit salary. Am I surprised that you had the team beat the hell out of me for ditching Biosyn? No, not really. I was more shocked when Roland held a gun to my face on the reason that he was, as he so eloquently put it, 'being paid to'."

Dodgson's eyes narrowed. "Then why are you demanding a reason or even an apology from me if you know what I'm about?"

Nedry thought for a moment, aware of the sheer silence that had followed right after he told Dodgson that he couldn't be cultivated. No reason came to him.

"I don't really know. I guess I'm sorry for things I did in the past." He turned around to where the InGen staff sat nearby. Arnold's blank stare told Nedry he wasn't convinced and Muldoon's expression was impossible to decipher.

Dodgson let out a hoarse laugh. He speared his fork into the salmon on his plate.

"You say you're sorry, but you're not. The old cliché is true: actions speak louder than words. If you were truly sorry, you would be sitting over there with them." He pointed at the InGen staff with his fork.

Nedry thought of "them". Arnold and Muldoon were counting on him to rid the island of Biosyn. Muldoon believed he would keep his promise and Arnold made it clear that he didn't want him around. It was weird—one moment everyone hated him and wanted him off the island and wanted his assistance the next moment.

"Then I'll go sit where I belong."

Nedry stood up from the table and started towards Muldoon and Arnold when Dodgson got up and blocked his path.

"Let me make myself clear," he said, snatching Nedry's intact wrist. "You're a brilliant system analyst and I'd hate to see you be unable to type again because you insist on playing tag with your old friends."

Nedry pulled his hand out of Dodgson's grip. "What are you saying?"

"I'm saying come back to where you belong. You have security, money, and the ability to still type with one hand." Dodgson smirked. Don't lose it forever."

"Thanks for the heads-up. Does this conclude our meeting?"

"It does. The choice is yours."

"I appreciate your professionalism."

Nedry turned his back on Dodgson. He could feel Dodgson glaring at him, but he ignored it. There was a loud thumping sound behind him as Dodgson shoved his chair aside and sat back down. Nedry grinned and left the cafeteria.

**oOo**

For the next three weeks, Nedry's return continued to cause commotion on the island. It was obvious to everyone that Nedry's return overshadowed Grant's, although InGen was thrilled to have Grant back, while Biosyn was infuriated by the mere thought of Nedry rejoining their ranks.

Regardless of who returned, one thing remained the same: Biosyn still held InGen at their mercy. Everything was at a standstill and Malcolm wondered when the InGen staff would put their plan into action. It came down to when and how Nedry would cause Dodgson to fail. Sometimes Malcolm was confused. Did Nedry plan to show InGen how to make Dodgson fail? Then Malcolm remembered it had to do with thwarting Dodgson's plans, but as far as Malcolm knew, Dodgson hadn't brought up any major plans recently…he would mention them and then not follow through, which was strange, since Nedry had advised him to take Dodgson at his word. Based on this, Malcolm wasn't sure what direction to take and it didn't help that the InGen staff still lacked the morale to fight back. Furthermore, they remained divided about the situation.

Arnold still doubted Nedry's loyalty, Muldoon kept trying to convince him and they would squabble about it. Harding felt they shouldn't rely on Nedry and that InGen should stick up for themselves without the help of someone who had once backstabbed them. Instead of depending on Nedry, Harding favored going along with Grant since Grant was reliable and loyal to InGen. Gennaro watched Nedry, but never acknowledged his presence. Tim and Lex continued to stay occupied in the staff lodge's recreation room. They were inseparable and it was best that they stay like that. Gennaro hadn't said anything to Lex or Tim in a long time which was appreciated by everyone on the InGen side, especially Arnold and Malcolm. Grant assisted Harding and went back to his usual tasks of observing the dinosaurs' behavior in the park and helped Ellie and Malcolm.

Surprisingly, Dodgson hadn't commented or reacted to Malcolm's, Grant's, or Lex's return. He seemed more focused on wooing Nedry back to Biosyn. Malcolm wasn't sure about his intentions. Maybe it had to do with that computer database Dodgson had spoken awhile ago in the cafeteria. Malcolm observed him carefully. Dodgson knew they were back, but he behaved as though they presented no threat to him. He once started to approach Grant, and then appeared to change his mind. From that day onward, Dodgson never bothered with Grant or Malcolm. He didn't even send Lex a second glance.

It was Nedry he kept talking to and asking about. That in itself was causing a stir among the Biosyn team. Lopez ranted about Nedry to anyone who would listen, Tembo and Sonya quietly fumed about it, Wu acted indifferent, and Lawala didn't seem to care one way or the other. Baselton and King avoided Nedry whenever they could. They'd glare at him when his back was turned, but never confronted him head on. Malcolm was glad to know something was brewing with InGen's arch-rival, even if it was on a tiny scale.

Three weeks after their return, Malcolm ran into Harding in the early morning hours by the park's gates.

"When are we kicking them off our island? We carried out the plan and now you, Lex, Dr. Grant, and Dennis are back. We have to get a move on. The longer we put this off, the more Biosyn stays here and tries to make this island theirs."

Malcolm nodded. "I understand what you're saying. We all have to be patient and wait. Things are going to work out for InGen, you'll see."

"'Be patient'?" Harding asked, not hiding his annoyance at Malcolm's suggestion. "I've waited long enough and so has the rest of the staff!"

"We'll get to it. I'm still waiting to hear from Dennis about his plan to make Dodgson fail."

Harding's jaw dropped and he quickly shut his mouth, as though worried that his expression had revealed his true feelings. "You actually trust him?"

"I wouldn't say it exactly on those terms, but I am willing to give him the benefit of the doubt."

Harding shook his head.

"What is it?" Malcolm asked. "Is there something I need to know?"

"Haven't you noticed he's been talking with Dodgson more?"

Malcolm froze. He had noticed that, but ignored it up to now. The reason he had not made an issue of it was because Nedry periodically let him know what was going on with Biosyn. When Dodgson made phone calls to executives in Biosyn's Cupertino office, Nedry told Malcolm. Just the other day, he had informed Malcolm that Dodgson was still trying to convince Biosyn's CEO, Bill Steingarten, to visit Jurassic Park.

"I'm aware of it. Right now, we have to focus on executing our plan."

"Which we need to do right away," Harding emphasized. "And what is this 'plan' exactly? There's all this talk about plans, but no force or action behind it."

Malcolm became silent. He understood Harding's frustration at the vagueness of 'the plan'. Even he didn't know for sure how it would come about. In a way, he was too embarrassed to tell Harding that and he didn't want him to lose hope. So he decided to address it in another way.

"We'll know when it's happening. I'm sure of it."

"You think so?" Harding was still unsure.

"Absolutely."

Harding nodded slowly and then left so he could work on his tasks. The skepticism he felt now transferred to Malcolm. As Malcolm thought about what they had discussed, a small part of him wondered about Nedry's loyalty. Harding's and Arnold's stance was understandable. At the same time, Malcolm chose to put his faith in Nedry. Muldoon did too, which came as a shock to everyone. So far, Nedry had proved to be helpful even if it wasn't in an overt manner. It was only a matter of time before the truth surfaced. The following evening Malcolm was forced to question Nedry's true intentions and if he had made the right decision to bail him out of jail...

**oOo**

"Did I tell you that I've been pursuing the beautiful Dr. Sattler?"

Everyone in the cafeteria stopped eating. Forks and spoons clattered to china plates in response to Dodgson's announcement. Dodgson grinned; satisfied with the silence he received from everyone. It meant he had their full attention.

"She loves it when I chase her around the park," he continued, "one of these days, I'm gonna corner her in the greenhouse—"

"Lew! There are children present," Nedry said, gesturing towards Lex and Tim. "I catch your drift; you don't have to say anything else."

Malcolm's face reddened. Ellie had her fork lifted in mid-air and placed it on her plate. They stared at Nedry, wondering what he would say next. Tim and Lex sat with Grant and Harding, pretending to eat their food, although they were listening to the conversation.

There was snickering from where Lopez, Sonya, Lawala, and Tembo sat.

Lawala didn't laugh. Without a word, he stood up and left the cafeteria. Wu sat with Gennaro, glaring at Nedry. Baselton and King walked in and stopped when they heard Nedry say: _"I catch your drift; you don't have to say anything else"._ Muldoon and Arnold exchanged a glance. Arnold shook his head and Muldoon held up his hand, gesturing for him to wait before making an immediate judgment.

No one spoke.

"Once you conquer her, you'll definitely conquer Jurassic Park. It's only a matter of time," Nedry said, "but she doesn't want you; she already has two guys fighting over her, Dr. Grant and Dr. Malcolm. They're like Mario and Luigi and she's Princess Peach, Toadstool—whatever that damsel in distress calls herself these days. You can't forget Toad—that would be Robert or Tim."

"What about our guys?" Dodgson said, following along with Nedry's Super Mario Brothers analogy.

"You're King Bowser, you know that big Koopa King. His kids are the Biosyn team. Look at Sonya, she looks just like Wendy. Roland thinks he's Roy. Raúl is Bowser Jr., that's an obvious one. Lawala is Morton. Lemmy and Iggy are Baselton and King. Henry is Larry. I think I got 'em all."

Dodgson chuckled. He didn't mind that everyone was compared to the classic video game. "What about you?"

"I'm Ludwig, the smartest Koopaling. The rest of InGen, they're all goombas and koopa troopas, you can easily stomp them out."

"I've already done that," Dodgson said. "I'll keep stomping on them until it kills them."

Everyone in the cafeteria listened to their conversation take on a sinister note.

"You gotta get Dr. Sattler when she's alone—throw her off guard," Nedry encouraged him.

"Or throw her over my shoulder and bring her to Hammond's bungalow. It's going to happen sooner than she knows, she loves playing hard-to-get," Dodgson said, smacking his lips loudly at Ellie. "Look at her: is she the cutest little blonde pussy you ever saw, or is she the cutest little blonde pussy you ever saw?"

Nedry eyed Ellie with indifference. "I've seen better."

"She's mine," Dodgson said, leering at her.

"She's hotter than Sonya, that's for sure. Hey, you know what you should do?"

"What's that?"

"Ellie Sattler vs. Sonya Durant," Nedry said, holding up his hands as though he were putting up a sign with the women's names. "Mud wrestling match in front of the visitor center. Winner gets to spend quality time with Lew Dodgson for a week."

"No, it should be, 'winner gets to spend the night with Lew Dodgson'. That's more to the point," Dodgson stated, as though this was serious business. "Who do you think will win?"

"Maybe Sonya, she's rough," Nedry said, thoughtfully. "Dr. Sattler's dainty, then again, she might sock Sonya in the chest and pull out her hair. Imagine all the bitch-slapping and hair-pulling!"

Dodgson nodded eagerly. "That's spicy!"

"You'd be the winner, Lew."

"How so?"

"If you got in the middle of it…"

"Dennis!" Dodgson said, in an exaggerated prim tone. "There are children present!" He gestured towards Lex and Tim.

Nedry waved them off. "You catch my drift."

"Oh yeah, I love the way your mind works."

They continued their conversation as though everyone was interested in hearing their perverse fantasies.

Ellie slammed her fork and spoon on her plate. She didn't know whether to scream or cry. She had to get out of the cafeteria—and fast. She couldn't go to her greenhouse. Sonya had made it impossible for her to go there. Anytime Ellie went near it, she had to fight against the tears from seeing it destroyed. She could never escape to that place again.

"Ellie, ignore it. Dennis doesn't mean a word of what he's saying," Malcolm said. "It's Dodgson egging him on." He grasped her hand, holding it firmly.

She shook her head and closed her eyes. She could hear Nedry laughing and Dodgson heaping on details of his fantasy mud-wrestling match. She was tempted to throw her plate in their direction, but restrained herself. When she opened her eyes again, Malcolm was pleading with her. His mouth moved, but she didn't hear his words. Nedry's chuckling and Dodgson's booming voice blocked out anything Malcolm was telling her. Sonya's cackling echoed loudly in the background. She rose quickly and turned in the direction of the double doors.

"I'll speak with you later," she whispered through clenched teeth, yanking her hand out of Malcolm's. "I hope by then you would've reconsidered your decision to bail that asshole out of jail."

Ellie raced towards the doors, and without looking back, she left the cafeteria.

Malcolm watched her leave. He swallowed nervously as a wave of anger swept over him and his heart pounded against his chest. Arnold was shaking his head and Muldoon sat straight in his chair, stunned and silent. Malcolm looked past them and saw Dodgson smirking at him. Nedry had his hand over his mouth, suppressing his hilarity. Malcolm tried to ignore Arnold's and Muldoon's inquisitive stares. He knew what they were thinking without them voicing it, and the thoughts slammed in his mind: _what the hell did we do? What the hell did _I_ do?_

**oOo**

"Maybe I was wrong about you the other night," Dodgson said, after Ellie left the cafeteria. His eyes lingered on the double doors for a moment, and then he turned to Nedry.

"About what?"

"I told you your actions speak louder than your words. Right now, your words speak louder than your actions."

Dodgson pointed at the table where Malcolm sat with Muldoon and Arnold. The three men glared at Nedry as though they wanted to skin him alive.

"I guess my words are deafening," Nedry said, grinning.

"Precisely." Dodgson leaned back in his chair. This was the most triumphant he had felt since arriving on Isla Nublar. "Welcome back."

**oOo**

They cornered him in front of the visitor center. Nedry had slinked away, trying to get away from them. They followed him, determined to find out what happened in the cafeteria. He plopped down on the visitor center's steps and sat back, humming impatiently.

"Why were you sitting with him?" Muldoon asked again. Malcolm was next to him, standing over Nedry as they interrogated him.

"Can't I sit wherever I want?"

"Yes, but—"

"End of story." Nedry tapped the steps with his good hand.

There was a long silence. Muldoon and Malcolm waited while Nedry glared furiously at them.

Muldoon tried again. "Dennis, answer the que—"

"What the hell do _you _want?"

"Why'd you sit with Lewis Dodgson tonight?"

Nedry gave an exaggerated sigh. "Who do you think you are—my parole officer?"

Muldoon blinked when he heard the abrupt change in Nedry's voice. It was the same harsh edge Muldoon heard when Nedry had first been arrested and during the visiting session when the prison guards had restrained him. It was hard to describe to someone who didn't know Nedry, but Muldoon knew it all too well. _It's a deadly combination of hatred and arrogance,_ Muldoon thought.

"The question is not where you sat. It's what you said tonight," Malcolm said, taking over.

"Are you trying to censor me?" Nedry asked. "First, I'm badgered about where I sat and who I sat with; then, you're in my face about what I said. Next, you'll get the thought police on me."

"I want to know why you thought it was funny to joke about Ellie like that."

"Ask Lew, he should know."

"I'm not talking about Lew Dodgson, I'm talking about _you_."

"I meant nothing by it…she's too touchy." Realizing the innuendo of his words, Nedry busted out laughing.

"Why did you make crude jokes about Ellie?" Malcolm fired the question, although he knew he would get nowhere.

"Because…" Nedry said between laughs, "I'm helping you—I'm doing what you asked me to do, okay?" He laughed harder.

Malcolm and Muldoon exchanged a worried glance. There was so much to contemplate and discern.

"You're helping us by embarrassing Ellie?" Malcolm asked to confirm.

"Yep, yep, yep!" Nedry said, grinning widely. "I'm keeping my promise to help InGen, you should be more appreciative!"

Malcolm's chest heaved as he struggled to contain the anger overtaking him. His mind kept replaying the scene when Ellie slammed her eating utensils on the plate and when she had bolted from her seat to flee the cafeteria, refusing to look back the entire time. He had tried to stop her and speak with her before she left, but her mind was already made up. He never wanted to see her that angry again. He didn't even know where she had gone. There were few places where Ellie could find solace since her greenhouse had been destroyed. _I'll find her later,_ Malcolm swore, _and we'll discuss the situation with Alan._ He redirected his attention to the source of the problem.

"Well?" Malcolm waited for an explanation, although none would satisfy him.

"Well, what?" Nedry said, glaring at him. "I do what I have to do."

"Then do what you should've done long ago: shoot yourself in the head," a voice said from behind. "I'll buy whatever gun you need to do the job."

Nedry rolled his eyes. He knew the owner of the voice.

"Good evening, Dr. Malcolm," Lopez said as he walked down the visitor center's stairs. "Good evening, Robert."

"Good evening, Raúl," Nedry said in a syrupy tone.

Lopez ignored the greeting. "Your days are numbered, Dennis. No one's fooled by your act."

"What act?"

"You know what I'm talking about."

"If you say so."

Muldoon and Malcolm glanced at each other, not knowing what to make of their exchange. Lopez turned to Muldoon, ignoring Malcolm's quizzical expression.

"We're dealing with a lying scumbag who gives a new meaning to the term 'two-face'."

"You give a new meaning—"

"Shut up!" Lopez snapped. "For once, just shut your big mouth!"

Nedry grinned, excited that he had infuriated him. Lopez continued to talk about Nedry to Muldoon and Malcolm.

"He hasn't learned his lesson, I can tell. Dr. Malcolm, don't be stupid—learn from _your_ mistakes. A traitor can never be trusted. You should've never turned him loose; he's going to make hell for everyone."

"That sounds like something you'd say, Robert," Nedry said to Muldoon. _"'A traitor can never be trusted,'_" he mimicked Lopez, chuckling.

"Look at him," Lopez said, pointing at Nedry. "He's a manipulative son of a bitch, he connives, he lies, he steals—he hurts others and doesn't give a damn!" Lopez closed his eyes and when he spoke next, his tone was pleading—almost begging. "Don't _ever _give him the benefit of the doubt. Did you know he wanted to let out the raptors? When Dr. Dodgson gave us that assignment, Dennis jumped on it right away."

Muldoon now looked over at Nedry, who shook his head vehemently.

"He wanted to make hell for the InGen staff," Lopez continued, "especially for you, Robert, because he knew you hated the velociraptors. I was against this assignment from the beginning, but he was all for it."

"That's a load of bullshit if I ever heard it," Nedry said, turning serious. He locked eyes with Muldoon. "If you believe nothing I ever tell you, believe that I didn't want to release the raptors to 'make hell' for you and InGen. It's the biggest mistake I made in my life."

"Stop feeding them lies," Lopez hissed.

"I'm surprised you're not choking on that big one you just told," Nedry shot back.

Muldoon looked from Lopez to Nedry, unsure of what to think and who to believe. He recalled trying to extract the truth from Nedry when they were stranded on Isla Sorna. By now, he wasn't sure what he wanted: an apology or an explanation for what happened when the raptors were released. He wanted both, but knew he would receive neither from Nedry.

"What about tonight?" Malcolm asked, bringing everyone back to the present.

"It was a joke, Dr. Malcolm," Nedry said, casual and relaxed, "Ellie knows we were just having a good time."

Malcolm let out a deep breath. He was getting nowhere. Nedry wasn't going to let on what had taken place tonight. _Better for me to remove myself before I do or say something I regret, _he thought. Malcolm started up the visitor center's stairs. The only thing he could do now see if Ellie was alright. Nedry called him back. He stopped half-way and came back down. Nedry fished inside his pocket and took out a folded note. He handed it to Malcolm.

"Read this when you have a chance."

Malcolm shoved the note in his pocket. When he was less angry, he would look at it. Right now, he would rip the note to shreds. He had to find Ellie—Grant might be with her. Together, they would figure out what was going on. Malcolm smiled weakly. _At least, Alan and I are on the same page about getting rid of Biosyn._ He looked over his shoulder at Nedry, Muldoon, and Lopez, unsure about Nedry's behavior, but certain that right now it was best to leave. Shaking his head, he left them.

Muldoon looked up in time to see the doors close after Malcolm entered the visitor center.

"I'll leave you two alone to talk—Raúl hates it when I'm around." Nedry stood up and yawned. "By the way, Robert, you can ask George Lawala about what happened when Dodgson gave us that assignment. He'll tell you what really went down."

He walked down the stairs and headed towards the park. Muldoon watched Nedry, wondering what made him act out in the cafeteria. _Is he just talking nonsense to get everyone riled up again? Or is he really back with Biosyn? _Muldoon grew more frustrated as the questions buzzed around in his mind with no answers. As for asking Lawala to verify if Nedry or Lopez was telling the truth…that would have to wait.

Lopez cleared his throat.

Muldoon looked up at him. He didn't trust Lopez, and it annoyed him that Lopez felt they could be buddies based on the simple fact that they had histories with Nedry. Lopez didn't seem to care and was persistent. This was confirmed by his next words.

"The offer still stands. It's up to you. When you're ready to put that obnoxious hacker away, I'll be waiting."

* * *

**Author's Notes: **Giving credit where it's due: the "blonde pussy" quote is from _Kill Bill Vol. 2 and _"you don't even _exist_ to me" is from _The Craft_. Thank you for reading!


	15. The Lonely Traitor

**The Lonely Traitor**

Ray Arnold's jaw dropped and the cigarette fell on the keyboard. He knew he was too late even as he typed rapidly to pull images of what had just occurred in the two paddocks.

"Oh my God," he muttered, furiously. "Oh my God…oh my God..."

Arnold yanked on his headset, not checking to make sure the mouthpiece was in position. He glanced around quickly and grabbed a walkie-talkie from Robert Muldoon's desk. Punching the buttons did little to alleviate his anger and frustration. Arnold heard faint hissing and then barked into the speaker:

"ROBERT! GERRY! DO YOU READ ME?"

He heard nothing and was about to punch the buttons again when someone's voice come through over garbled static.

"We read you, Ray. What's going on?"

Gerry Harding.

"The stegosaur paddock and the dilophosaur paddock—go there with Robert right now!"

He waited and heard Harding asking him between garbled noises what the problem was.

"JUST GET THERE QUICK!" Arnold immediately regretted shouting into the walkie-talkie. Everyone was tense and it took very little to set anyone off. A severe tone or a blink of an eye was all it took. Arnold sighed and put down the walkie-talkie. He heard Harding answer:

"We're on our way…what's—"

Arnold snatched the walkie-talkie again. "Don't ask questions! Go there NOW!"

Without another word, he shut off the walkie-talkie. He knew he shouldn't do that, because Harding and Muldoon would try to contact him. Arnold sighed again and flipped the switch on. He sat back in his swiveling chair and rubbed his temples. Arnold had a long list of the things he wished he could do.

For starters, he'd bring John Hammond back to the island. He'd ensure Ellie Sattler was safe from Lewis Dodgson. He would do everything in his power to protect Tim and Lex Murphy. He'd make sure Gerry Harding was happy. He and Robert Muldoon would resume the friendship they used to have. Ian Malcolm would be second in command. He'd love to kick Donald Gennaro off the island and to make it better, fire him from InGen. He would do anything to convince Henry Wu to come to his senses. He'd hire Alan Grant for InGen's administration. He'd wipe out the Biosyn team's existence. And he would do anything to ensure Dennis Nedry was locked up again for the rest of his life…

The last thought burned in his mind like a severe migraine. At that moment, Nedry walked into the control room.

"Hey Ray!" he called from the door. "What's up?"

Arnold didn't look in his direction. He kept his eyes glued to the computer screen. The images were burned in his memory as though he were in the paddock watching Roland Tembo and George Lawala drag the mangled corpse of a baby stegosaur. _Her plates didn't grow yet, _Arnold thought wistfully and he was keenly aware he felt affection for the animal whose life had been cut short. Blood gushed out of her short stubby legs and Arnold hoped her death was swift and painless. The corpse left a bloody trail behind. Arnold's stomach performed Olympic somersaults at the frightening image of it.

He turned around and watched wordless as Raúl Lopez's and Sonya Durant's figures filled a second video monitor. They were laughing and elbowing each other playfully. Arnold felt his stomach twist and tighten with unreleased rage. They carried a dead juvenile dilophosaur between them and swung the body as though it were their child. The animal had still been in attack mode when it was killed. Arnold noted the red v-shaped crest on the head. The reddish-orange frills trembled lifelessly. He heard footsteps behind him.

"Don't look so long-faced, it's not as bad as you think. You need to stop worrying so much. C'mon, smile—"

Arnold spun around in his revolving chair, his eyes ablaze behind his glasses. He yanked his glasses off and bolted to his feet so that he stood face to face with Nedry. Nedry grinned like a school kid who got caught yanking the principal's pants down. If only what had occurred was as innocent and humorous…

Two dinosaurs poached for no reason. Poached—shot and killed—in their home. Hunted within their habitats. What else could explain what happened? Abuse was too kind a word for it. Sharp pangs of anger stabbed Arnold. He wouldn't be the only one to feel this way.

Muldoon would be furious when he found out what occurred. Arnold knew Muldoon loathed poaching and poachers. He got worried over the potential harm the dinosaurs posed to each other and the park staff, but he would _never _kill them off for the sake of killing them. The velociraptors were the only dinosaurs Muldoon had killed, and their elimination was about safety, and not killing just because he felt like it. Muldoon had a heart for the rest of the dinosaurs, whether he admitted it or not.

Harding would be deeply hurt. First, the sick maiasaura that died several weeks ago, and now two dead animals—possibly three, because Tembo and Lawala had the baby—had been killed for no reason. Harding loved his job and cared about the dinosaurs. He was their doctor and they were his patients. Working with them gave him peace. This incident would be too much for him.

Arnold felt choked up when he thought of the dead baby stegosaur again. He didn't even know how Nedry had managed to turn off the fences, allowing the Biosyn team to hunt and kill the two animals. Then it occurred to him—Muldoon had given Nedry his backpack with his laptop. Arnold knew it had to be that, since Nedry hadn't entered the control room all day. He forced himself to face Nedry.

Nedry smirked, obviously entertained by Arnold's reaction and what he had gotten away with doing. _He's never affected by any of this,_ Arnold thought. _It's all a big joke to him. _Furthermore, he had allowed Biosyn to have access to the animals by turning off the fences to the paddocks. Gave them free reign to do whatever they wanted. He stabbed InGen in the back for the umpteenth time even though Malcolm had bailed him out. _What a damn waste of time…we should've never agreed to have him bailed out, _Arnold thought bitterly. _He never stops… never._

"Are you happy now?" Arnold asked with venom in his voice.

"For what?"

"_You_ did this…you did this, damn it." Arnold pointed at the monitors.

Nedry pretended to be confused and then started laughing. "Oh, _that._ Get over it Ray. They were dead for millions of years. So what if one of them got killed again—"

"Two of them." Arnold held up two fingers in Nedry's face.

Nedry shoved his hand away. "I don't understand why you get worked up over these lizards. Do they pay your bills?"

"As a matter of fact, they do. I have a job thanks to them."

"Yeah, I _had_ a job thanks to them, but you and Robert wanted to play 'I Spy'."

"Don't even start."

"I was only joking."

"I'm not laughing."

"That's a shame. 'Cause I am! Ha-ha-ha and hee-hee-hee."

Arnold couldn't take Nedry's arrogance anymore. "You have the damn nerve to come back and play your stupid games."

Nedry didn't say anything and Arnold continued.

"Why do you do this? That's all I want to know: why the hell do you do this? What motivates you to be such an asshole? We bailed you out and you turn around and backstab us. Why?" Arnold closed his eyes, wishing it would make Nedry disappear. If only it were that easy. "You think you can do anything you damn please?"

Nedry met Arnold's furious gaze. "Yeah, actually I do."

Arnold pointed at the control room's entrance. His finger was like the Grim Reaper pointing a newly arrived soul to the Door of Death.

"Get the hell out of my sight—or I'll wring your neck with my bare hands."

"You don't have to tell me twice."

Arnold watched Nedry take his time leaving the control room. Nedry tapped Arnold's keyboard, banged a computer monitor, and then picked up a stack of papers and tossed them over his shoulder. Finally, he left the control room. It took Arnold every ounce of will-power to not attack Nedry from behind. Arnold sighed at the scattered papers on the floor and turned to the monitors. He took out his lighter and picked up the cigarette on his keyboard, ready to smoke away his stress. The walkie-talkie beeped and he picked it up. Arnold heard Muldoon shouting in the background while Harding spoke to him in a rush:

"We just got to the stegosaur paddock, Ray. Send the workers there, we're gonna be here for awhile. After that, Robert and I have to check the dilophosaur paddock. Call Dr. Grant in his room, he can help us. Oh my God…what a mess…"

**oOo**

Wu didn't look up from his clipboard when he heard the hatchery's door open and softly close.

"So what'd Lew promise you? The universe on a silver platter with diamonds and emeralds on the side?"

Wu rolled his eyes when he heard that all-too-familiar voice. His contempt became greater as Nedry stepped in front of him. He heard Nedry snap and crack his chewing gum and wished he'd go elsewhere. _How the hell did he get out of jail? It had to be Malcolm, that good-for-nothing-dressed-all-in-black-loquacious-mathematician, _Wu thought. _Dodgson had been warned about Dr. Malcolm's sneakiness and he didn't listen, he doesn't listen to any of us._

"It's about time we had that talk."

"I'd rather not."

"I'd rather we do, since you cut me off in the cafeteria. I told you I'd get to you eventually."

Wu ignored him and focused on his work.

"You shouldn't hook up with the enemy, Hank," Nedry said. _Snap. Crack. _

Wu raised his eyebrows and kept jotting on his clipboard. "You're in no position to lecture me on 'hooking up with the enemy'."

Nedry held up his hands to show he had nothing to hide. "Don't be defensive."

Wu walked around the lab, still writing on his clipboard. "So, what's the big house like?"

"You'll find out soon enough."

"No, I don't think so. I'm not as stupid as you."

"I'm sure you'll fare just fine. If anything, you can always cling to Father Mukada's cassock."

"What in the world are you talking about?" Wu looked up, annoyed. "Just shut up and leave. Or go sit in solitary confinement."

"Can't we have a man-to-man chat without your snide remarks?" Nedry asked, earnestly.

"_My_ snide remarks? You're one to talk."

Nedry whistled "One is the Loneliest Number" as he walked around the hatchery. He spotted a box of rubber gloves laying on the sterile countertop and helped himself to a pair.

"Don't touch anything," Wu ordered. "I don't want your dirty hands contaminating my lab."

Still whistling, Nedry fitted the glove on his left hand and threw away the right glove.

Wu stopped and watched him from across the room.

"Keep working, don't let me stop you," Nedry said. He grinned.

Wu didn't return the humorous response.

"Why'd you betray InGen? I always thought you'd be a loyal lap-dog."

"You thought wrong," Wu said, icily.

He approached a small incubator that held three large green eggs. He put down his clipboard and reached tentatively to pick up an egg. From experience, he could tell which eggs were ready to hatch and which ones needed to stay in the incubator longer. Wu gently placed the egg inside the incubator and jotted notes on his clipboard.

"Did Hammond push you to betray him?"

"Unlike you, I take responsibility for my actions—I don't blame anyone for my mistakes."

"I'm so happy you're a much better man than me, Hank."

"More than you will ever know." Wu's face was the face of a smug man who believes nothing could harm him.

"I always admired you. Your work ethic, your ability to keep a calm and clear head when everything's going to pieces on this island. You're truly a remarkable man."

Wu swallowed a growing lump in his throat as Nedry spoke. Why was Nedry prying into him like this? Was he truly a remarkable man? Or was he someone who wished he could be remarkable? He was wonderful, wasn't he? Intelligent, gifted, blessed, and far ahead of his generation of geneticists. Then Wu scowled. _Of course, I'm better than the rest. That's why Hammond hired me and why Dodgson wanted me for his team. That's why I'm here and other geneticists are struggling to make their mark. That's why they're pathetic and I'm outstanding._

He heard Nedry pull off the rubber glove.

"You wasted my glove—get out!"

Nedry disposed of the glove in a red biological waste container and then met Wu's eyes with a fierce determined gaze.

"Hammond would be devastated if he knew what you've done. You know that, right?"

"If he finds out, then he finds out." He continued to write on his clipboard.

"It's funny…" Nedry said, nearing the exit.

Wu heard him open the door, but didn't look up. _Good, get the hell out of my lab. _

"It's funny that everyone always looks at me like I'm the bad guy—which I am."

"I'm glad you've learned to embrace yourself, Dennis."

Nedry didn't say anything for a moment. Wu was going to demand he leave for good, when Nedry spoke again.

"I say it's funny, because what you've done is very sad. Hammond and everyone in InGen had respect for you. Keyword is 'had'. He had so many good things to say about you. Maybe he never told you. You know John—he doesn't always let on he appreciates your work efforts—"

"Don't project your insecurity onto me," Wu said, confidently. "Be a man and own it."

"He loved you like his own son, and I'm not just saying that," Nedry continued as though Wu had never said a word. "He boasted about your intelligence, your superior skills in genetics, your ability to see ahead into the future, and especially your honesty. He prized that about you."

Wu's eyes narrowed as he jotted faster on his clipboard.

"But he never knew that underneath your gentle façade laid the heart of a snake."

"How poetic," Wu spat. "By the way, how's your hand?"

"It won't be long before all the fingers are completely healed. Slowly, but surely."

"I hope it never heals."

"Thanks for the kind sentiment."

"Yes, now if you'd kindly get the hell out my lab..."

A beat of silence passed.

"You're a brilliant man, Hank. I know that—we both do. I'll never take that from you. What I didn't know is that you're a selfish egotistical spineless son of a bitch. At least I can go to bed knowing I'm an honest traitor. I've betrayed and hurt many. I know what I am. You betrayed yourself and that's worse. Keep betraying and lying to yourself. Pull the wool over your eyes because it makes everything clearer to you—that's how you think. Let me know when you can honestly look at yourself in the mirror again."

The door closed.

At the same exact moment, Wu's pencil point broke, and he looked up, angry and confused by Nedry's words. There was an unsettling truth in them…even if they had come from a traitor…

**oOo**

The jeep burst through the dirt path illuminated by the overpowering sun. Dark thick green jungle surrounded both sides of the road. The electrified fences towered above the ground, menacing and protecting at the same time. Grant pressed down on the gas pedal. Inside the jeep were four animal workers that he had arranged to accompany him to the stegosaur paddock. The jeep hit a bump in the road and then lurched forward. Soon, they came to a stop in front of the stegosaur paddock and Grant parked along side Harding's gas-powered jeep. The workers rushed out to catch up with Muldoon and Harding.

Grant got out of the jeep and surveyed the damage. The gigantic fence had been destroyed; the metal was bent and twisted. It looked like it had been trampled over by a herd of animals. The muddy earth bore scattered pools of blood. Grant felt his throat tighten. There was a death stench in the air, like rotten fish. He heard a beeping noise from his pocket and retrieved his walkie-talkie.

"Ray to Alan, do you read me?"

Grant slowly approached the stegosaur enclosing and pressed his walkie-talkie.

"Alan to Ray, I read you. I'm at the stegosaur paddock. Robert and Gerry have already arrived."

There was a faint hissing and Arnold let Grant know that he received his message.

"Keep me posted," he said and then the walkie-talkie silenced.

Grant glanced around quickly and sprinted into the field. He was halfway into the area and close to Muldoon and Harding. Suddenly Harding turned around and held up his hand, indicating for Grant to stop.

Grant nodded and stared at the vast field—that's all it was, a vast open meadow of green grass with scattered palm trees, bushes, and shallow pools of water. Four adult stegosaurs were milling around further out in the field. Grant shielded his eyes from the glaring sun and observed the stegosaurs circling an area. They appeared to be marching around something that had caught their attention.

Then he heard a gunshot and Grant saw one stegosaur approach them. He noted the thick leathery armored plates on its back, threatening and dangerous. The stegosaur slowed down and collapsed on its side. The earth trembled violently beneath Grant's feet. He stepped forward. He watched as Muldoon aimed his tranquilizer gun at the three remaining stegosaurs. The animal workers mirrored his actions and the air was filled with the thunderous sounds of guns going off. The earth shook as though it would split open. Enormous roars of pain and surprise punctuated the gun blasts. The stegosaurs charged towards them and one by one they crashed to the ground.

Then silence. Long aching silence.

"Dr. Grant, you can come forward now," Harding called.

Grant went to them, eyeing the fallen stegosaurs.

"They'll be out for a few hours. That'll buy us time to look around the area," Muldoon said. "We'll have to repair the fence."

Grant nodded and scanned the stegosaur enclosing. He pointed in the direction where the stegosaurs had wandered around before getting tranquilized. There was a large still shape in the grass. Grant and the animal workers followed Muldoon and Harding, slowly approaching it. Immediately, they were assaulted by the stench of rotting flesh. A cloud of flies buzzed above the bloated bloody corpse of an adult stegosaur. The animal's eyes were still open as though it had seen Death coming and decided to face it instead of running. _The adult stegosaur probably tried to protect the baby,_Grant thought, imagining the scene unfold. The decomposition process had begun: the leathery skin had already sunken in, deflated like a balloon. Muldoon carefully stepped around the grizzly death scene. Harding stared blankly, disbelieving what lay in front of him.

"I can't believe this," Muldoon said, shaking his head. "Are you okay, Gerry?"

"I'm fine."

"Why did they do this? Why?"

Harding didn't answer him.

A worker vomited in the bushes.

Grant maintained his composure as he dialed on his walkie-talkie for Arnold.

**oOo**

Nedry sat on the steps of the visitor center and puffed on a cigarette. He felt like Arnold with the crisp smoke as his companion. Arnold was still in a heated mood from what had happened earlier. Two dead stegosaurs and one dead dilophosaur. _He'll get over it,_Nedry thought, amused. He didn't look up when he heard someone run down the stairs behind him.

"I finally found you." Muldoon stood in front of him, scowling; his steel eyes bore into Nedry like lasers.

_He's mad too,_Nedry thought. _Good. They should be pissed off. Everything's going according to plan._He stubbed the cigarette on the steps and looked up at Muldoon, smiling.

Muldoon glared at him and his mouth moved, but no words came out.

_At a loss for words, Rob?_Nedry wanted to ask, but he knew better than to antagonize Muldoon. He opted for singing Garbage's "Wicked Ways."

"_I tried hard to mend my wicked ways. Acted like a lunatic for years. Lord knows I try to be good_—"

"You don't try hard enough," Muldoon snapped.

"_I'd keep my promises if only I could. You count your blessings that I can't rely on you._" Nedry snapped his fingers to the song. He laughed, since he knew he was way off tune.

Muldoon watched him sing without a care in the world, his anger mounting. He had returned an hour ago from the dilophosaur paddock with Harding, Grant, and the workers. It was far worse and more dangerous in that section of the park. The dilophosaurs had been found hooting together, a chorus of death cries, and snarling, their frills wide open. They were incensed to attack the next person or animal that stepped foot in their territory. Harding had passed around thick goggles to protect everyone's eyes in case the dilophosaurs spat their blinding poison. Muldoon had tranquilized all of them. With the fence down, he feared the animals would wander around the park and he couldn't allow that to happen. As soon as all the dilophosaurs were taken down, Muldoon had radioed Arnold to send over maintenance staff to repair the fence.

They had returned to the control room and updated Arnold what took place. When asked where Nedry was, Arnold gave them a dismissive wave. Harding was in no mood to talk to anyone and had driven into the park with Grant. Muldoon knew he'd be the one to confront Nedry, which he was doing now.

Muldoon watched Nedry sing and laugh. He couldn't believe him—the damn nerve he had. He wanted to shake him, punch sense into him—anything to make him see that his actions were only hurting InGen. Nedry stopped singing and gestured next to him, inviting Muldoon to sit down. Muldoon shook his head.

"What's up, Saint Robert?"

"You know what's up. Don't play games with me."

"I don't know what you're talking about."

Muldoon watched Nedry stretch his arms over his head and lean back comfortably on the stairs.

"How could you do this? After everything that's happened, you still only think of yourself."

"Who will think of me for me? No one on this damn island, that's for sure."

Muldoon took a deep breath, trying to contain his anger. "Dennis, whose side are you on?"

"I'm on the side I've always been on. My own."

"You are and always will be a traitorous coward."

Nedry recoiled and gave Muldoon wide puppy dog eyes. "Aww, that hurts."

"It's the truth."

Muldoon removed his fedora and sighed. He had spent all day with Harding, Grant, and the workers, trying to regain control of what occurred earlier. He looked down at Nedry. Nedry's right hand and wrist were still bandaged and splints held his fingers apart. Muldoon wondered why he had turned his back on InGen after what Dodgson did to him. It made no sense. Muldoon would never return to a gang that left him for dead. Then again, who said Nedry was smart? Nedry liked to think he was brilliant, but his decision-making skills weren't the brightest.

"I thought we made up. Didn't we pinkie swear to never argue again?"

"We never swore anything."

"I thought we did," Nedry insisted. "On Sorna, remember?"

"I thought something too," Muldoon said, slowly. "I thought you had changed for the better. You really fooled me with your act." He turned his back on Nedry. "I actually believed you weren't the same selfish bastard that put Hammond in the hospital. Hell, I even believed you were _sorry_ for that incident. How could I have been so stupid?"

Muldoon had his back turned, so he didn't see the hurt look flash in Nedry's eyes. It was like a shooting star flashing across the night sky—real and brief.

"I defended you when we came back. God knows why I made that stupid mistake now. Everyone was convinced that you brainwashed me. The only one who didn't think you influenced me was Dr. Malcolm—and now you got him questioning if he was right to bail you out, especially after that night in the cafeteria with Ellie. I swore you were a changed man and that you had left your old ways behind." Muldoon shook his head. "They were right; you're the same manipulative son of a bitch that smiled on his way out the courtroom. I can't believe you fooled me."

He turned around to face Nedry, who stared at him as though he belonged in an insane asylum.

"That's your problem, you're more gullible than I imagined," Nedry said, popping a stick of gum in his mouth. "Want some? It'll cure your aches and pains." He held out the gum and Muldoon swiped at his hand. The gum fell on the stairs. Nedry didn't bother to pick it up.

"You're bloody full of shit. You only care about yourself," Muldoon said in a low voice.

Nedry shrugged and cracked his gum. "So what if I made an oath to swear allegiance to me, myself, and I? No one else will do it for me. Didn't we just go over this?"

Muldoon stared at him, absolutely disbelieving everything Nedry said. "Then everything on Isla Sorna was a joke to you? All those conversations?"

Nedry squinted at him, confused. "Where the hell did that come from?"

"If everything you say and do is a lie, then all those talks we had were lies too. What was it for? So we could pass the time?"

"No, we did it to avoid strangling each other. By the way, I want you to rest easy at night and know that I didn't carry out Dodgson's master plan." At this, Nedry broke out in peals of laughter.

"What master plan?"

Nedry composed himself and became very serious. "I was supposed to dispose of you when we were stranded on that island."

Muldoon felt his throat close up. He was horror-filled by this new revelation. He couldn't comprehend what he was hearing. His mind's thoughts were scattered like broken glass fragments, none of the pieces fitting together. One part said Nedry was lying, the other said he was telling the truth, and even then, another part of Muldoon felt so confused that he couldn't even put what he thought and felt into words.

"The truth hurts. You weren't supposed to get off that island alive. You see, Dodgson took pity on me. He said I could do one last assignment and redeem myself if I ended your miserable life. That's why I was put on Sorna with you. To get rid of you. But then I told myself: Dennis, take pity on Robert Muldoon. Sure, Mr. holier-than-thou shot you three times. That's still no reason to take his life. Make him believe you're a changed man and he'll eat it up like spaghetti and meatballs. And here you are! Ta-da!"

Muldoon shook his head. He instinctively knew Nedry was lying. _Unless, my being alive is the reason they beat him up in prison. No, that couldn't be it—Tembo never mentioned it during the interrogation. _He chose to call him on his outrageous lie.

"That's bullshit and we both know it."

"I said I never meant to hurt Hammond. You on the other hand…" Nedry gave Muldoon a sly grin. "You should be thankful you were spared."

"I don't believe you," Muldoon growled.

"Believe in the tooth fairy, if it makes you happy." Nedry stood up and walked up the stairs. Muldoon followed him.

"Who are you? Who the hell are you to do this to us?"

"Who are _you_? You're nobody. You're a follower, a pompous warden who thinks he can save me."

"I'm not trying to save you."

"Sure, you are. Father Robert, the do-gooder, sappy hero, guardian angel that Hammond's grandkids adore," Nedry said, glancing over his shoulder. He opened the door and then turned to Muldoon again. "I can't believe our talks meant _something_ to you. You must be a lonely man."

Nedry walked into the lobby and admired the exhibit with dinosaur skeletons. Muldoon watched him walk in circles.

"I can't believe it," Muldoon whispered again.

Nedry heard him. "Believe it. You're nothing—"

"No, I can't believe you'd pretend to change and then go back to the scum you are. That's what I can't believe."

"All this talk about believing and not believing is really making my mind spin. How can I pretend to change and go back to the scum I was, when all along I was always that scum? That means I was pretending to not be scum, but why would I pretend to not be scum when I'm always that scum?"

Muldoon had to digest for a moment what Nedry just said. More and more, Nedry twisted his words just to throw him off track.

"Exactly my thoughts, you were always scum."

Nedry shook his head. "No," he said, pointing at Muldoon. "_I _said I can't believe those chats we had meant something special to you like a memento. _You_ said you can't believe that I fooled you. Then you said you can't believe I'd pretend to change and then go back to my old self. Stop playing mind games, Robert, you're making me dizzy."

Muldoon was astounded by his audacity. _He _was accusing him of playing mind games?

"You're the one playing mind games," Muldoon growled.

"No, I'm repeating what you said. You need to stop confusing me. It's not a nice thing to do."

Muldoon slowly nodded. _So he wants to keep playing around—I'll set the lying scumbag straight. _

"I'll make myself crystal clear to you. You're a greedy money-hungry bastard."

"That's more like it!"

"Your actions put John in the hospital, and as for me, you know what happened."

"Please stop—you're making me feel guilty."

Muldoon had started up the stairs to reach the second level of the visitor center. Nedry stayed on ground level and started singing again. When Muldoon didn't see him follow, he looked down and continued his tirade.

"Guilt is an emotion you're incapable of feeling. You know how to _act_ guilty."

"Give me credit; I'm a good actor."

Muldoon had enough and went downstairs again. "You disgust me."

Muldoon hoped his words would've an impact on Nedry like a sword slicing his arm off. It seemed to have the complete opposite effect.

"You sound sad. Are your feelings hurt? Do you need a tissue?" Nedry asked; an impish grin on his face.

Muldoon swung his closed fist across Nedry's face. He watched Nedry wipe the blood from his mouth. Without hesitation, he struck him again. A stabbing headache pounded mercilessly against Muldoon's temples. Yet, he felt better having physically released his anger.

"You sicken me to no end, Dennis. I wish I had left you on that island." Muldoon took a deep breath, knowing what he said next would finally bring Nedry down to earth. "You got what you deserved in that cell."

Nedry looked like he was about to hurl his meanest insult at Muldoon, but the words never left his mouth. He stared at the floor, unsure of how to respond. When he looked at Muldoon again, his eyes had taken on a glassy appearance as though he felt an emotion that he refused to allow himself to feel. Muldoon felt a sick exhilaration upon seeing his reaction. _Finally got you, you stupid son of a bitch. _

"What cell?"

"You know what I'm talking about. Look at your right hand in case you've forgotten."

"_That's_ a low blow, Robert," he said, holding his injured hand. "I expect better from you, being a self-righteous prick and all…that's real low…"

"As low as every single time you've reminded me of my scars." Muldoon pointed at his scarred face.

"I was angry those times, so I said whatever came to my mind."

"You always do that."

"And now you're doing the same. You think you're better than me, but you're not." Nedry shrugged. "Whatever—you're just a stupid prostitute for Hammond."

"Better to be that than Dodgson's whore," Muldoon shot back.

A long silence passed between them.

"I'm _not_ his whore…" This time Nedry couldn't hide behind sarcasm to cover up his true feelings. His eyes were dark and shiny and he stepped back from Muldoon. "Damn you for throwing that in my face!"

"Keep shedding your crocodile tears; maybe I'll feel more sympathy for you." Muldoon smirked, knowing that his spitefulness hurt Nedry. He could keep going like this all day. The only way Nedry understood something was when you hit him where it hurts. _He can take it, he's been through far worse, _Muldoon thought, _and he's put others through far worse._

"You have no idea what's going on. I don't have to explain anything to you!"

"Then don't, I'm not losing sleep over it."

Nedry glared hatefully at Muldoon. "As for that cell situation, you'll be happy to know Gennaro gave your regards."

Muldoon's eyebrows furrowed together. He was confused about what Nedry meant by "Gennaro's regards". What was that about? Gennaro must've said or did something to Nedry that night on the basis that it came from Muldoon. Muldoon knew he hadn't told Gennaro to do anything against Nedry that night. Even so, he wouldn't waste time convincing Nedry otherwise. At this point, it was best for Nedry to believe he had nobody on his side. Not then, not now, and not ever again. _He brought this on himself, _Muldoon thought. _Let him bloody live with it._

"Anything else you have to say to me?" Nedry asked, still fuming.

Muldoon didn't know what to say. There was a cloudy expression flickering on Nedry's face, as though he felt something and needed to express it, but was trying desperately to hide it. Muldoon wanted to tell him to be honest, to stop hiding and be real. He knew Nedry was real with him on Isla Sorna and during their trip back to Isla Nublar. Muldoon had been real with him too and shared many things that he never spoke aloud to anyone, not even Arnold. Now, Muldoon didn't know what Nedry was doing and this frightened him. His fear froze into an anger that would be impossible to thaw out. Finally, Muldoon let him have it.

"You're a joke and you're everything you listed that day when we were stuck on Sorna. You're worse than that. You're _shit_. When this whole thing is over, I'm calling the FBI from the States so they can throw your conniving-ass in prison for the rest of your useless life."

Nedry turned his back on Muldoon and played with the bones on display like a piano. "If it makes your life better, then do it."

Muldoon looked at him once more, resisting the urge to knock him down, and then walked out of the visitor center leaving Nedry alone in the lobby.

**oOo**

"Why is _he_ here?" Lopez dripped like burning acid.

Dodgson looked up when he heard the door to Hammond's office swing open. Nedry waltzed in, uninvited and without knocking on the door.

"You did a wonderful job today, Raúl. You and Sonya got me the dilophosaur I needed for our research project," Dodgson said, smiling. "Hank and I—"

"Don't change the subject!"

Nedry stood in doorway, listening and watching.

"You gave us the order to execute him!" Lopez pointed at Nedry.

"Not to execute, but to punish him. Teach him a lesson," Dodgson said, calmly.

"Same thing—and now he's with us _again_? That's garbage!" Lopez stopped and glared furiously at Nedry.

"You were saying?" Nedry asked. "Go on, continue. Don't let my intrusion interfere with your little speech."

Lopez sighed, frustrated.

Dodgson held up his pointer finger, indicating he'd speak with Nedry soon.

"No rush, Lew," Nedry said.

"Shut up!" Lopez snapped. "This man—" he pointed at Nedry as though he were a prosecutor convicting him, "betrayed us."

"One time," Dodgson said.

"One time is one time too many. You knew what he was doing the first time he left; otherwise you wouldn't have sent the guys to kill him off."

"That was lame," Nedry offered.

Lopez slammed his fist against the wall. "Look, when I want your opinion, I'll ask for it. Until then, keep your stupid comments to yourself. Do you understand?"

Nedry shrugged.

"If he betrayed us once, he'll do it again. I can see it in his eyes. He's not loyal to Biosyn. He's loyal to pathetic InGen—and they want to hog all the credit for genetic engineering. He'll help them against us. Can't you see it?"

Dodgson sat back in the leather chair and looked from Lopez to Nedry.

"What do you think, Dennis? Will you betray us a second time to InGen?" He looked at Nedry's right hand and grinned wickedly. "Or have you learned your lesson the first time around?"

Nedry looked at the blue carpet, noting InGen's company color, and then faced Dodgson's confident stare that told him he had no way out of Biosyn. He kept his voice even.

"No and yes."

"Be more specific," Lopez demanded.

Nedry squinted at him as though he were a fly in the room.

"No, I will not betray you to any company—that includes InGen. Yes, I learned my lesson the first time."

"Very good." Dodgson nodded. "So there's no need to take extra precautions with you?"

"None at all." Nedry shook his head.

Lopez looked at Dodgson, expecting him to say more, and then snatched Nedry's left wrist. He held it in the air for Dodgson to see.

"We could take care of him now before he gets any smart ideas. Better to cut the issue at its roots than to let it grow."

Nedry yanked his hand back and Lopez grinned maliciously. "Don't get ahead of yourself," he said.

"I have a theory," Lopez started. "Your fingers are already healed and you're walking around with those bandages, pretending they're still injured. You're waiting for the perfect time to backstab us again."

"That's all you have as a bone-brusher." Nedry smirked. "A theory with no solid proof to back it up."

Lopez wished Dodgson would allow him to finish off Nedry. Instead, Dodgson wanted him around and it infuriated him. He watched as Nedry leaned over to Dodgson to tell him something privately. _He's not doing that in front of me,_ Lopez thought.

"If you have something to say; then say it so I can hear you," Lopez said.

Nedry nodded to whatever Dodgson told him and then headed towards the door. Lopez blocked the entrance.

"Where are you going in such a hurry?"

Nedry glanced at him and then at Dodgson who watched them.

Lopez saw Dodgson's smirk and knew he was enjoying this. _He_ _thinks this is entertaining,_ Lopez thought, heatedly.

"Excuse me," Nedry said. He waited patiently for Lopez to move aside. "I know you have nothing better to do with your time, Raúl, but this is really sad."

"It's sad that you're back. You won't be here for long."

Lopez refused to move and he sneered at Nedry, daring him to push him out the way. Nedry maintained his cool stance, even when Lopez poked at his injured hand.

"When do the bandages come off? Not soon enough I hope."

He searched Nedry's face hoping to see fear gnawing at him, but instead he received a completely different response.

"Jealousy is an ugly thing," Nedry said.

Lopez's lips twitched; he was caught off guard. Nedry's dark eyes flashed victoriously and he turned to Dodgson, who reclined back in the swiveling chair.

"I'll speak with you later."

Dodgson nodded silently.

Lopez felt his blood bubble like hot lava.

Nedry approached him again, smirking the entire time. Lopez stepped aside when he saw Dodgson stand up. Nedry left the office and went down the hallway. He bumped into Lawala and offered him a quick apology. Lawala glanced at Lopez and then at Nedry, who kept walking. Lopez heard Dodgson shift around.

"He's fine, Lew. You don't have to worry if he tripped in the hallway," Lopez said through clenched teeth. "What do you see in him anyway?"

Dodgson stood up and stepped around Hammond' desk. "Lopez. I'll say this once: Leave. Him. Alone."

Lopez blinked. There's no way he had heard what he just did. Dodgson told him to swallow his pride? Anger rose in him again and this time he knew he couldn't control it.

"How could you accept him back after everything he's done?"

Dodgson removed his tinted shades and placed them quietly on the desk.

**oOo**

Lawala watched Nedry shuffle down the hallway. Nedry had been in a rush and walked right into him. Lawala didn't respond when he mumbled an apology. _There's nothing to say,_ he thought. He knew right away that Lopez was angry as he approached the office. Lopez stood outside, tapping his foot impatiently, his olive-toned skin had reddened and his dark eyes were clouded over with unreleased rage. _He's always mad about something,_Lawala thought. Lopez was never happy unless he was writing a dissertation relating to paleontology or in the park working with the animals. The small compassionate part that Lopez possessed, he showered on the love of his life: dinosaurs. _God forbid anything came in the way of that,_Lawala thought.

Including Lewis Dodgson and Dennis Nedry.

Lawala thought about Nedry. He didn't openly admit it, because he didn't trust anyone on the Biosyn team, but he regretted what happened that night in the Costa Rican jail. It was wrong—and that was an understatement. He knew he was the only one who felt what they did was ridiculous and unnecessary—but he could _never_say that aloud. He couldn't say it then and he definitely couldn't say it now. Not with Lopez fuming about Nedry's recent return.

The irony was that Lawala had a vicious streak in him. He was well aware of it and needed it to survive. He had grown an extra shield of skin from his hunting days in Africa, where he had met and competed against Robert Muldoon many years ago. You needed to be cold, hard, and tough when you wrestled against cheetahs, hunted tigers, and shot lions for game. Lawala was able to use his physical abilities and hunting talents to aid the Biosyn team and satisfy Dodgson's requests.

When it came down to delivering a beating to another person—that's where Lawala drew the line.

He had it out with Alan Grant and Ellie Sattler the first time Biosyn invaded the island. He gave them something to think about after he shot Ellie and threw a huge cargo net over them. At the time, he had been entertained when they yelled at him in fear about how he was doing the impossible by removing a dinosaur off the island. That was comedy at its best: watching the famous Dr. Grant and Dr. Sattler struggle to get out of the net, all the while shouting at him about nonsense.

It still did not compare to that night.

Lawala never forgot the trapped look in Nedry's eyes. He had seen it briefly during the beating. Nedry wasn't the type to reveal any weakness; he was always focused on himself or the task at hand. But Lawala _had_ seen a glimmer of weakness in him that night and instead of taking advantage of it, as Lopez would've done, he felt guilt.

At one point, Lawala had slammed hard Nedry on the back. When Nedry turned around and realized it was Lawala who assaulted him, he had stared at him in total disbelief. Lawala had glared at him for that long second and then slammed his face. Before his clenched fist made its impact, Lawala had seen the bewildered look in Nedry's eyes and he immediately regretted what he was about to do. His shocked expression pleaded with Lawala: _Why are you doing this? What did I ever do to you? _If Lawala wasn't an observant person, he would've completely missed it.

He didn't stop. He kept throwing punches and kicks. The more he did it, the more he numbed himself to the sickening sounds of flesh being battered. He tried to block out what was happening, but it was impossible. He felt like a coward for going along with something that he was totally against, just to save himself. There was more: Nedry's confused expression haunted Lawala during and after the beating. It was very similar to how Nedry was haunted by Hammond's look right after he had the stroke.

The worst part was Lawala knew why Nedry looked confused.

Nedry was the only one who showed compassion when Lawala had suffered temporary blindness from the dilophosaur's poisonous saliva. He had taken Lawala to get help from the InGen staff. Lawala had been in excruciating pain that day and the only thing Tembo, Sonya, and Lopez cared about was taking back the dinosaur to Dodgson. They weren't the least bit concerned that one of their own teammates had been injured. Nedry didn't care about the "stupid lizard" and wanted to leave once Lawala's vision was restored.

Lawala learned a lot about his colleagues that day. He realized Dodgson was extremely ruthless and driven by a twisted determination with no sense of boundaries. Lopez was at peace when he got what he wanted. Sonya and Tembo were very similar: they loved the thrill of the hunt, the adrenaline rush of not knowing if they'd live to see the next hour. People who didn't experience life in the wild could never understand that heart-hammering excitement. Lawala knew how they felt, he had experienced it firsthand many times, especially that night when he attacked and killed a lion that had pinned Muldoon to the ground.

Then there was Nedry. Nedry was obnoxious, but he wasn't vicious. That was how Lawala viewed him. Nedry had thoughts about him too.

_"Lawala. You're a good guy, but your loyalties are misplaced. You should be standing against the wall next to him. You're running around with Dodgson and you hate it. You pretend that you live for the thrill of the hunt. You're only fooling yourself."_

Lawala had been struck by the accuracy of Nedry's words. Nedry had called him out on where his loyalties lay—right in front of Dodgson!

"George."

Dodgson gestured him to come inside the office. _What does he want now?_Lawala thought. Earlier in the day, Dodgson had demanded that he and Tembo retrieve a baby stegosaur. It caused a ruckus among the park staff; they were furious, but couldn't do anything about it. Although every cell in his body wanted to resist, Lawala walked into the room and closed the door behind him. As he faced Dodgson and Lopez, he wondered again about leaving the team. Maybe an opportunity would present itself when he wasn't looking.

**oOo**

"I told him what I thought of him. He knows already from past experience, but I reminded him and made sure he got the point," Muldoon said, focusing on the road in front of him.

It was night and Muldoon drove through the park with Arnold. Dodgson had ordered them to do so to make sure the animals were safe. Before the night was over, Muldoon would have to escort Tembo around the island.

"What'd he say?" Arnold asked.

"He just talked more trash. It's what he does best. I still can't believe I let him fool me."

"Don't beat yourself up…I'm not and you shouldn't either."

Muldoon smiled wryly. "Thanks, Ray."

"It's okay. Look, you thought he had changed and gave him the benefit of the doubt. I had a feeling he'd go back to working with Dodgson."

Muldoon parked the gas-powered jeep and watched the triceratops in their paddock. He heard a click as Arnold lit a cigarette.

Arnold puffed slowly and closed his eyes. "He has no idea how much it hurts. He just thinks he can do whatever he likes. Even Henry knows to stay away from us."

"Henry's another one," Muldoon said.

Arnold shook his head. "It's not the same. Henry's disillusioned."

"So is Dennis."

"No, Dennis wanted more money for his work, and rightfully so. Henry was good until Dodgson showed up. Then he decided he didn't want to be with InGen anymore."

"I think he made that decision long before Dodgson invaded the island."

Arnold shrugged. "Whether Henry went with Biosyn yesterday or yesteryear doesn't matter. I don't know what to think anymore." He yawned. "I'm tired and my thoughts are muddled. I'm not making sense."

"You're making perfect sense."

"Betrayal is betrayal, no matter who does it."

"Yeah, but who hurts more? Dennis or Henry?" Muldoon asked.

Arnold opened his eyes and stared at the dark jungle in front of them. "Both really. Dennis' betrayal hurt because I worked closely with him. It sounds stupid now, but I really trusted him during the construction of the park, and then to find out he was stealing and making a system with flaws on purpose…" he shook his head, unable to complete his thought. "Henry's was a bitter betrayal—we never saw it coming. He always helped out and had a pleasant demeanor. With Dennis, it was more obvious, he was always complaining about working for John. Out of both of them, I'd go with—"

"Henry?" Muldoon asked.

Arnold nodded. "Yeah, I'd go with Henry, because he seemed to have so much heart for InGen, and now he flaunts it in your face that he fooled everyone. With Dennis we keep giving him chance after chance. I'm sure he's laughing at us right now."

"Then he's worse than Henry."

"In that respect, yeah," Arnold said. "But it's like I said before. Betrayal is betrayal no matter who does it."

_That's true,_Muldoon thought. Hammond had been deeply hurt when he found out Nedry had betrayed InGen. He didn't want to imagine how Hammond would react when he finally heard about Wu's betrayal. _Who would tell Hammond? What would be said?_

"Should we tell John about Henry?" Muldoon wondered aloud.

"No way!" Arnold sat up straight in the passenger seat. "Are you crazy? That'd be the final blow. We can't tell him. It's better that he doesn't know about Henry."

Muldoon said nothing as he switched gears, ready to continue their drive throughout Jurassic Park.

**oOo**

Nedry completed the finishing touches on the visitor center's cafeteria. The tiles glistened and the room glowed. The fresh scent of cedar wood was everywhere. Nedry had followed Dodgson's request: he had cleaned and scrubbed the cafeteria so that it sparkled. And to think, Lopez had nearly had a fit just because Dodgson had secretly asked him to do this task an hour ago in Hammond's office. Now the job was complete thanks to Nedry's hard work and dedication. _Dodgson would be proud. Strike that, _Nedry thought quickly, amending his thoughts._ John Hammond would be proud._

As Nedry pushed the chairs into their correct spots, Dodgson entered the cafeteria with the Biosyn team. Sonya Durant was the only one not with them. _Probably giving Ellie hell,_Nedry thought. _Ellie's ten times the woman Sonya is. _King carried a mop and Tembo brought in a large yellow bucket. Baselton held a brown paper bag. Lopez also carried a big metal bucket; it was larger than Tembo's. Lawala and Wu were empty-handed. The group surrounded Nedry in a half-circle. Dodgson surveyed the cafeteria and came back to where everyone stood.

Nedry was hit by a violent stench. It seemed to come from Tembo's and Lopez's buckets. He wasn't certain which one smelled worse, but the combination was horrid. He couldn't even describe it or guess what it was. Urine…feces…vomit…who knows what it was, but it stank horribly. Nedry tried to find something else in the room to focus on to distract him, so that he wouldn't breathe in the hideous smell. He was reminded of being stuck on Isla Sorna with Muldoon when he saw Lopez's bucket. _Hope there's no blood in there, _he thought, holding back a laugh.

"Looks wonderful," Dodgson said, "You did a spectacular job."

"Thank you." Nedry nodded, pleased that his hard work had been acknowledged.

"Now that you're finished, we can have a team meeting."

The team smiled in unison and too hard. Plastic. Fake.

"Gentlemen, would you agree that it's good to do hands-on work?"

Tembo and Lopez exchanged a look. Lawala didn't respond and Wu nodded eagerly. King and Baselton looked on.

"So another words, it's important to get down and dirty. That's what we do best."

"I completely agree, Dr. Dodgson," Lopez said with extra enthusiasm.

Dodgson nodded in his direction, and then turned to Nedry.

"Do you agree?"

"Yeah…" Nedry said, eyeing the team suspiciously. He wondered where Dodgson was going with this.

"Sometimes, in order to complete our tasks, we have to get more than our hands dirty…" Dodson said, his voice trailing off.

The rest of the team followed his stare and Nedry felt uncomfortable being the center of attention. Dodgson pointed towards the yellow bucket that Tembo had set down on the floor.

"I need you to take a sniff of what's in there, so that you can really understand what I mean by getting more than our hands dirty."

Nedry thought about what Dodgson was asking him to do. He not only smelled the fumes coming from the bucket carrier, he _saw _them.

"After you, Lew."

Tembo and Lopez looked from Nedry to Dodgson, wondering if Dodgson would accept Nedry's challenge. Wu shook his head, annoyed that Nedry would have the nerve to reverse the command that had been given to him. Baselton and King looked on impassively. Lawala turned away to hide a smirk, and when he turned back to the team, he had his usual flat expression. A wide grin beamed from Dodgson's face.

"You're on target. As a matter of fact, let me do that right now. I'm your leader and I should be an example."

Dodgson went over to the yellow bucket that Tembo lorded over.

"Be careful, Dr. Dodgson," Tembo warned.

He bent over and took a whiff. "Refreshing!" He stood up and gestured for Nedry to do the same.

Nedry tried to keep a straight face as he inched towards the yellow bucket. He didn't know what was in it, but it was inhuman. He glanced down at it and then at Tembo.

"Don't be afraid, embrace it." Tembo gestured to the yellow bucket in front of him.

"I smell it from here," Nedry said.

He was about to turn around when he felt Dodgson grab his shoulders.

"To appreciate the full definition of getting your hands dirty…" he said as he gently willed Nedry to kneel in front of the bucket.

Dodgson released his shoulders. Nedry heard Lopez put his bucket down; it made a heavy clanging noise in the spacious cafeteria. He had barely leaned over the bucket to get a whiff, when he felt his head forced downward. Thick brown mud and blood mixed with yellow pus rushed to meet his face and he gagged involuntarily. Nedry gripped the bucket with his one good hand and struggled to lift himself from the foul-smelling thick liquid. Whoever had forced his head in made sure he was held down. Just as quickly, he was let go and he lifted his head out, sputtering and coughing. He tried to get his bearings and stand up, when Tembo poured the entire slop over him. Nedry tried to dodge from it, but it was slippery and he slid right into it.

"The mop, Howard. I want to do the honors."

Nedry looked up and saw Lopez standing over him with the drenched vile smelling mop. In the next second, Lopez mopped his face. Vomit rose in his throat and nausea drenched him.

Above him, the sound of cruel and taunting laughter.

"He's being baptized in the blood of Biosyn," Dodgson said in the most serious tone. More laughter followed.

_Is he insane? _Nedry knew the answer to his question as the mop was used to spread the gunk all over his clothes and the floor he had just cleaned up. He was slipping in the mud and whatever else was mixed in. Nedry started to get to his feet, when he was kicked in the chest and he fell again.

"Where do you think you're going?" Tembo.

"We're not finished with you yet." Wu.

Nedry tried to scramble away, but Wu got to him first. Wu lifted the bucket that Lopez had carried in and dumped the entire contents on him. Nedry's stomach heaved when slimy pink intestines, yellow rubbery fat, and purple and red muscles hit his body. Rotten entrails were in his hair, on the floor, in his hands, on his clothes…

"Now you see why I needed those two dinosaurs. I dissected them earlier with Henry. When we were done, we needed to find good use for them. I believe in recycling, Dennis. You should too," Dodgson said. He motioned for Lopez to come forward.

**oOo **

Malcolm watched the entire scene from outside the cafeteria. At first, he was unsure of what he felt. Disgust was one of them. He felt anger for being duped into bailing out Nedry, but that feeling quickly faded when he was honest with himself. It was _his _idea to get Nedry out of jail. He also felt sadness for what was taking place. Most of all, he was trapped by the thought that everything would continue to go downhill. Malcolm was used to being pessimistic, but things had turned out far worse than he expected.

He tried to make sense of the situation: Nedry came back after Malcolm bailed him out, pretended to be with InGen, then switched back to Biosyn, but Dodgson and his thugs weren't welcoming him back with open arms. Malcolm looked on as Wu poured the bucket on Nedry. The team laughed louder than before. Even from outside of the cafeteria, the stench was repulsive. Malcolm covered his nose and backed off from the door. Nedry was slipping in the gunk and Malcolm realized what the contents in the bucket were.

In the afternoon, he remembered Arnold, Muldoon, and Harding were infuriated at Nedry because he had turned off the paddock fences. The Biosyn team had killed a juvenile dilophosaur and baby stegosaur and brought the animals' bodies for Dodgson and Wu, who claimed they were using them for "scientific purposes." Arnold had kicked Nedry out of the control room, Muldoon went off on him and even struck him, and Harding…Harding hadn't reached him yet.

_When does the chaos end around here?_ Malcolm asked himself, although he knew from experience, that it never stopped. Even when things were looking up for the park staff, it didn't take long for everything to be thrown off balance. _That's __to be expected since perfection is a myth,_ Malcolm thought, _but at this point, it would be nice if things got better and went upward instead of downward. _

He turned back to the cafeteria. Dodgson was saying something and Nedry was shaking his head. Baselton and Wu were holding their stomachs from laughing so hard. Malcolm could tell King was forcing himself to smile and that Lawala would rather be elsewhere, they stood apart from the group, not participating, but not helping Nedry either. Lopez viciously kicked Nedry's injured hand. Malcolm wondered if he should intervene on Nedry's behalf. He had his hand on the door when he heard approaching footsteps behind him.

"Let him clean up his own mess. He started it, so let him finish it."

Arnold pointed at the cafeteria to punctuate what he just said. Muldoon stood next to him, watching silently. Malcolm could tell he wanted to go in there and find out what happened, but because he was angry from before, he wouldn't even bother.

"It's not right what they're doing to him," Malcolm said.

"It's not right what he does to _us_," Arnold said, his voice flat. "Everyone always feels bad for him. He put John in the hospital, nearly got Robert killed, got bailed out and then turned around and betrayed us again—he even had the nerve go along with Dodgson and embarrass Ellie in front of everyone." He took a drag on his cigarette. "Yet, you feel bad for him."

"I don't feel bad for him, Ray. I just don't believe he deserves this."

"He deserves whatever he gets," Muldoon said.

Malcolm cursed under his breath. If Muldoon felt this way, then it was over. At one point, Muldoon had actually advocated for Nedry, insisting he had changed and that he wasn't the selfish traitor that everyone despised. Malcolm now saw a cold and stricken Muldoon who wanted nothing to do with Nedry.

Malcolm wondered again if it was a mistake to bail Nedry out of jail. He was still puzzled by the strange conversation they had afterwards.

_"I want to know how you will help us against him."_

"_I will help you the best way I know."_

"_What do you mean?" _

"_Meaning I will help you and InGen, but it won't be on your terms—or the way you want or expect."_

_What did he mean by that?_Malcolm wondered. It had been nearly two months since that cryptic conversation. During the first week of his return, Nedry had kept tabs with him about what was going on with Biosyn. The last tidbit of information he had given was typed and reading the message was like interpreting hieroglyphics.

_**InGen: Heads up, otherwise heads will roll. Dodgson **__**wants to repeat history. If he succeeds, then Jurassic **__**Park will no longer carry the InGen logo. Stop quarreling **__**and start kissing. Buckle your seatbelts; the ride isn't **__**be over till I say it's over. Dodgson wants to replace **__**the blue and white company colors with yellow, red, and **__**black—and I'm not talking about the JP logo. **__**Ding-ding-ding. Wake up!**_

_**Most consider me a traitor, but I'm a system analyst **__**before anything else. That means I'm ten steps ahead **__**of the rest and twenty steps ahead of the best. I have **__**to be. Don't take my words and actions personal. **__**(YOU know who YOU are.) **__**I do what I have to do, even if it means you're bald by **__**the time I leave here. Smoke a cigarette, drink vodka, **__**write chaos equations, and let me do what I do best. **__**When InGen owns InGen again, then you can relax. **__**Until then, learn to say the magic word. **__**-Mr. Goodbytes **_

Malcolm had received the message around the same time Nedry was leaning towards Biosyn again. To be precise, Nedry had handed it to him after Ellie was humiliated in front of everyone in the cafeteria. It took a lot of self control on Malcolm's part to not tear up the note before he read it.

At the time, he understood only part of the message. Now was no different. The message was like mysterious code. Malcolm gave it to Muldoon last week to get his feedback. Muldoon had read it several times aloud and then gave up altogether. Like Malcolm, he understood it, yet a part of him was thrown off by it. Why was Nedry talking gibberish? Arnold had skimmed it and mentioned Nedry had written stupid notes like that in the past as a joke. He had added: _Don't take him seriously, Ian. I sure as hell don't._

Still watching the scene, Malcolm took out the note. It was folded neatly. For some reason, something told him to reread it. Maybe now it would make sense.

**oOo**

"You're still rebellious. You think I'm not watching you, but I am. I watch every move you make," Dodgson said to Nedry, who lay huddled on the floor. "I don't approve of the way you spoke to Raúl this afternoon in my office. It was totally uncalled for."

Nedry looked up from the floor, still soaked in the dinosaurs' entrails and mud slop. Lopez stood next to Dodgson, grinning like he had won a trophy for Employee of the Month. Nedry shivered. The room was cold and only he felt it. He glanced at the cafeteria's glass doors and saw Muldoon and Arnold watching from outside. Malcolm was next to them reading a note. Nedry avoided their stares and kept his eyes on the floor.

"Do we have to go over this again? Look at me when I'm speaking to you. It's a sign of respect," Dodgson hissed.

Nedry looked up and tried to block out Lopez who towered over him like a victorious boxer. Dodgson patted Lopez on the shoulder and continued his lecture.

"He's my number one employee now. He's proven himself to be reliable, dependable, and most importantly, loyal. When I'm not here, you report to him. Raúl Lopez is your superior. Is that clear?"

Nedry nodded, although he didn't understanding what just happened. He thought from their last talk he was on Dodgson's good side, and that Lopez was out of line. He had even turned off the fences at Dodgson's request so that he and Wu could do their "scientific discoveries." Then Nedry recognized it for what it was: Dodgson's mind games to keep him on his toes. Chances were Dodgson was playing the same mind games with Lopez. _Not that the jack-ass will figure it out and not that I'm going to go out of my way to let him know, _Nedry thought.

Dodgson snatched the paper bag from Baselton and threw the contents on the floor. A toothbrush, a sponge, a bar of soap, a plastic cup, and a bottle of spring water.

"Clean up this fucking mess. I want it spotless by morning. You don't go anywhere until it's finished. That's all the materials you need. Get started." Dodgson headed towards the exit. The team followed him. When he reached the doors, he turned around once. "Roland, watch him to make sure he completes the task."

"Will do, Dr. Dodgson."

Dodgson left with the team. They passed by Malcolm, Arnold, and Muldoon without saying a word.

Nedry watched them leave and heard Tembo laughing above him. Tembo kicked the toothbrush in his direction.

"Get to work, Dennis. You have a long night ahead of you."

Nedry picked up the materials and gathered them in a pile. He didn't respond to Tembo, nor did he look up, for fear of what emotion would read across his face. The whole time he struggled to not show weakness. It was more difficult than he expected.

**oOo**

Malcolm entered the cafeteria and stopped short when Tembo blocked his path.

"Where are you going?"

"I have to ask him something." Malcolm pointed at Nedry.

"You can't, he's busy right now."

Malcolm looked past Tembo and watched Nedry pour spring water into the plastic cup and put the soap in the cup. He dabbed the sponge into the water so that he could begin the humiliating task of cleaning the floor.

"It'll only take five minutes."

Tembo stepped away allowing Malcolm to talk to Nedry.

Malcolm stepped around carefully, avoiding the mess. The stench was nauseating and he covered his nose with one hand and took out the note with his free hand. When Dodgson had neared the exit, he shoved it in his pocket. Shortly after Dodgson left, Arnold and Muldoon had went to the staff lodge. Malcolm knew there was no point in convincing them to stay, so he figured he'd have to do this on his own.

"Do you remember this?"

Nedry focused on scrubbing the floor with the sponge. In no time at all, the sponge was filthy from the mud slop and entrails. Nedry threw down the sponge in frustration. It landed next to Malcolm.

"Pick it up and get back to work," Tembo ordered.

Nedry grabbed the sponge and squeezed it. After a moment, he began again. And again, the result was the same as before. The sponge was soiled and slimy.

"Look, I need you to answer some questions."

Nedry looked up and Malcolm saw the glassy look in his eyes. Nedry wouldn't say what he thought or felt to anyone, but his face said it all. Malcolm was tempted to leave him alone, but he had to press forward.

"Read this and explain it to me."

Malcolm held the paper in front of him. Nedry glanced at it and then at the mud covered floor.

"I meant what I said," he said, quietly.

"Meaning what?" Malcolm asked.

"I'll take that!" Tembo snatched the paper from Malcolm. He read the note and grinned. "Should I show this to Dr. Dodgson?"

Malcolm tried to grab the note from Tembo, but Tembo shoved him away.

"This is lovely. I hope you memorized it." Tembo ripped the paper to shreds and tossed it in the air. "There, your business is finished, Dr. Malcolm. You can leave now."

"Actually, it's not. I said this would take five minutes and only a minute has passed. That leaves me with four more minutes."

"I'm timing you, Mathematician."

"You do that."

Ignoring him, Malcolm took a deep breath and held it. He quickly picked up the body parts strewn across the floor and threw them in a nearby trashcan. He'd have to scrub his hands with every disinfectant available when he went back to the staff lodge. He'd also have to wash down everything he touched. For now, he figured he'd help Nedry so that he'd have less work to do.

"What terms did you mean?" Malcolm asked when he came back. "Remember when—"

"Yes. My terms."

"What are your terms? Just tell me what you mean."

"I can't."

"Why not?"

"Because I can't."

Malcolm heard the bend in Nedry's voice. He didn't sound like himself. His voice matched whatever emotions he kept trying to conceal. It was better to back off.

Malcolm looked around the cafeteria, remembering Lex's 16th birthday party, the dinners he had shared with the park staff, and Hammond's devotion to making it the most exciting restaurant to fit the most unique theme park. A beautiful mural depicting a prehistoric scene was painted on the far wall. That was just one of many sights about the cafeteria that made it memorably as Jurassic Park's special dining area. Malcolm's eyes shifted away from the beauty of the cafeteria to the foulness of what had just occurred. He heard scraping sounds and saw Nedry picking at the floor. Malcolm tried again.

"Why do you do this? Look at how he treats you. I know you and John had your share of disagreements—"

"John's not an angel."

"He never treated you this low."

Nedry kept his eyes on the floor.

"I just want to know why, that's all."

Malcolm waited for an answer—at this point, any answer would do.

Nedry shrugged and then smiled a fake smile. "Who knows why? I do what I have to do."

"You do what you have to do?"

"Yep, that's all I can tell you."

"You're not giving me anything to work with."

Nedry sighed. "I can't say too much or else it's a done deal. Play along with my game and it will move quicker."

He resumed cleaning up the floor with the small amount of materials he was given. Malcolm watched him for several minutes. Nedry was aware that he stood by watching him, but he continued to complete an impossible task. After some time, Malcolm decided he could do nothing else. What more could he say? He started towards the exit.

"Betrayal," Tembo started. "Where is the power in it?" He looked at Malcolm, expecting him to answer.

Malcolm thought about what Tembo said. "There is no power, because it's not real. Betrayal is about falsehood, lack of trust. It's temporary and unpredictable."

"Is it really? Is there a way to tell if someone's going to betray a friend or turn against the company they work for?"

"It all depends," Malcolm said, impatiently. He didn't want to be drawn into a debate with Tembo, of all people.

"I disagree with you, Dr. Malcolm. There is power in betrayal. If you betray with the intent of gaining, that is to say, if you are the traitor seeking a reward, you may have a brief moment of having scammed someone. The thrill of the con. Conquering the system. Outwitting the sheep of society. You may feel good about yourself."

"Again, it's all temporary and fictitious."

"Very true. The fireworks don't last forever."

"That's one way of putting it," Malcolm said, as he walked halfway out of the cafeteria.

Then Tembo said something that made him turn back and glance at Nedry. Something that made him wonder why Wu chose to join the enemy. Something that made him curious as to where Nedry was truly aligned.

"A traitor is the loneliest of all men. He has no friends, only enemies."

Malcolm nodded in agreement and then left the room, the words resounding in his mind.

**oOo**

Wu entered the staff lodge and headed towards the recreation room. He wanted to relax in his favorite spot. The recreation room was the perfect place to get away from everyone and everything. It was his place to hang out at during the park construction days, and even now, he loved going there.

As he headed towards the recreation room, Wu thought about what happened earlier in the cafeteria. It was a lesson to be learned: don't get on Dodgson's bad side. Dodgson didn't forgive or forget and he took pleasure in reminding his employees of where they lined up in his eyes. If Dodgson loved you, then you were fine. If not…heaven help you.

Wu had laughed at Nedry's humiliation. _He deserved it especially after the way he spoke to me in the lab,_ Wu thought. _Serves him right._ _Of course, it's funny when it's another person and not yourself…_That particular thought entertained him for a moment, but he shoved it away when he heard Muldoon and Arnold speaking softly from inside the room.

Wu froze.

Should he go in there or not? Would it cause a huge scene? It had come down to a version of those questions every time he ran into the InGen staff. Normally, Wu didn't care and he enjoyed scoffing at them. Deep down inside, he knew it was all a pretense. His stomach always did cartwheels when he ran into them now. The tension between him and his former friends/co-workers was so heavy that he felt it would crush him at times. Other times, he just shrugged it off and put on an act to save his own dignity. He wouldn't allow them to see that there were moments where he wished he could go back to InGen without repercussions.

Wu thought about it as he stood outside by the entrance and then decided he'd go into the recreation room anyway. _I have every right to be there, just like them, _he thought. As soon as he stepped in, he wished he hadn't.

Muldoon and Arnold sat on the sofa, channel surfing and talking quietly. Wu heard them mention Hammond's name when he was outside and wondered what they were discussing. He wanted to ask, but he was no longer welcome in their presence. Muldoon turned back to the television. Arnold watched him.

"What do you want?" he asked.

Wu stared at the wall, thinking of what to say. He shifted his position and leaned against the wall.

"Well?" Arnold tried again.

Wu glared at him. "I don't owe you any explanation."

"I didn't say you did."

"Then don't ask."

"Why don't you go catch up with Dodgson? I'm sure he's expecting you," Arnold said and turned back to the television.

Muldoon turned around. "We'll pick up where we left off, Ray, when he leaves the room."

Wu swallowed nervously and hated himself for revealing his fear and hurt through that small gesture. He didn't know how to respond back. Muldoon's tone was severe and Wu didn't like it, but he knew there was nothing he could say in retaliation. If he were Nedry, he'd have a smart comeback, but he wasn't him; he was Henry Wu, who, until months ago, had been a loyal and dutiful InGen employee and trusted friend.

Suddenly he was overwhelmed by his new hatred for them. Who were they to treat him like an outsider? Renewed by his revulsion for his two former friends and colleagues, Wu stepped behind them, snatched the remote control out of Muldoon's grip, and threw it against the wall.

"What the hell!" Muldoon bolted from the sofa and approached Wu.

"When I come in here, I don't expect to be treated like an outsider. I still work on this island just like both of you."

Muldoon and Arnold exchanged a knowing glance and said nothing. Wu saw their reaction and fumed inside. They had some nerve laughing at him in front of him. At the very least, they could wait until he left the room to make fun of him. Arnold also stood up; ready to say something in response, but Muldoon stopped him.

"You want to know why you're treated like the shitbag you are, it's because you betrayed us. I'm tired of co-workers turning traitor and then expecting us to coddle them. You want to be treated with respect; then give it in return. If you want to shit on myself, Ray, and everyone else from InGen, then we'll shit on you right back."

Wu stared at him and then at Arnold, who nodded in agreement. Together, Arnold and Muldoon formed a wall that he couldn't get around.

"You have a choice. You can pick up the remote control and hand it to me or Ray and leave the room quietly. Or you can resist and I'll drag you out by your neck. Make your choice."

Without a word, Wu left the room as quickly as he had entered.

As he started down the hallway, he heard Arnold say in a loud voice: "Good riddance."

He stopped in his tracks and was tempted to go back and shout at them, but decided against it. Wu quickened his pace and kept his eyes on the floor. He pushed open the door and nearly banged it in Grant's face. Grant was entering, just as Wu was leaving the building. Wu remembered their meetings with Hammond about the sixteenth species. Before and after that meeting, Wu had many intriguing conversations with Grant about paleontology, genetics, and dinosaurs. Grant had always been a pleasure to speak to; he was down-to-earth, knowledgeable, and friendly. Wu knew those days were over.

"Hello, Henry," Grant said. "How are you?"

Wu looked at him for a moment, paranoia racing in his mind. _Is Alan being sincere or just pretending? _Grant was the only one from InGen who still greeted Wu pleasantly. Not even Tim and Lex spoke to Wu anymore. He had a feeling Muldoon had told them to keep away from him. Grant, however, did his best to maintain ties with Wu, although they rarely spoke now. He noted that Grant's clothes were caked with dried mud, grass stains, and he smelled like he had been in the park all day. The park had a distinct earthy animal scent to it like when you visit a zoo and are assaulted by the heavy living smell of all the animals living there.

"Hello, Dr. Grant." Wu's voice was wooden. He held the door open and Grant walked through.

"Thanks."

Wu didn't reply as looked away.

"Have you seen Ray or Robert around?"

"They're in the recreation room."

Grant's eyebrows rose. He was still puzzled as he watched Wu rush out of the staff lodge. If Grant didn't know any better, he'd say Wu was escaping from an unknown entity.

**oOo**

"On your hands and knees scrubbing floors. That's where you belong."

"Leave."

"You're meant for this type of work. Why didn't John see it before?"

"Shut up."

"We have open custodial and maintenance positions. Drop by and pick up an application."

"Get lost."

"You should give this serious thought. Think about it: no one wants to hire an ex-con who deliberately screws up computer systems. I wouldn't. This is how your future will be. Picking up trash by the highway. I'd rather have you here though. God knows this park gets messy."

Nedry stopped and threw down his sponge. He looked up and saw Donald Gennaro smiling down at him. Down at him, was an accurate description. Everyone looked down at him the same way.

"What's wrong? Did I strike a nerve?"

"I'll punch you in the face if you keep blabbing."

Gennaro's eyes widened and he feigned being surprised. "Are you trying to threaten me?"

"I'm not trying. I _am_."

Nedry met his condescending glare. Gennaro sniffed the air and circled him as if though he didn't want to be contaminated.

"You've become quite violent. You're already unruly—"

"Why don't you go to the staff lodge? Or better yet, head to the control room where you hover over Ray like a lost bumblebee."

Gennaro kicked over the bucket of water Nedry had brought out after Tembo had left for the evening. He had left minutes after Malcolm, since he felt he was above Dodgson's command. The water pooled around Nedry. He was almost finished and Gennaro had to make himself known as if he had nothing better to do.

"Clean up your mess," Gennaro said, fishing in his pocket.

He produced an American dime and tossed it on the floor. The dime hit the floor with a loud _ping_. Nedry stared at the dime in the puddle.

"This'll inspire you to work harder."

Nedry glared at Gennaro wishing he could make him choke on the dime.

"They say money is the root of all evil. I'd disagree and say it's the _love_of money that is the root of all evil. Wouldn't you agree?" Gennaro pressed.

"You tell me."

"You're an expert on the subject. That's why I came to you."

"You've learned well, my pupil."

Gennaro nodded and headed towards the doors.

Nedry watched as the doors closed behind him. He picked up the dime and examined it. Silently, he threw the dime in a trashcan and picked up his bucket to refill it. He glanced at the area where the mud slop and entrails had been the messiest. It looked slightly better. Slightly. He was about to go into the kitchen when he heard the doors open again. Gennaro was probably coming back to insult him some more. Or maybe Tembo would come back just to throw him off. Or Dodgson, just to see that he had completed the job.

It was Lawala.

Saying nothing, Lawala came to where Nedry stood, carrying a garbage bag. Nedry backed off from him, not knowing what to expect. Lawala shook his head and held his finger to his lips, indicating for Nedry to stay quiet. Nedry nodded and Lawala set down the bag at a nearby table. He took out bleach, ammonia, a bottle of pine-sol liquid cleaner for wooden floors, two pairs of rubber gloves, and three heavy duty sponges. He left the cafeteria and came back again with a clean mop. Nedry stared at the materials Lawala had brought in, and then at Lawala, who waited.

"Thank you."

Lawala nodded in return and then left the cafeteria as quietly as he had entered.

**oOo**

Lonely.

He had never felt so lonely in his entire life. Wu felt he was an amazing and unique person, but strangely out of place and his timing was horrible. He wished he could turn back time. Being able to recreate dinosaurs had been an incredible feat, but more than anything, he wished he had the ability to turn back the hands of time and start over again. To him, that would be far more astounding than any of his accomplishments.

And it didn't seem to matter that he had achieved so much in a short period of time. What was the point of it all, if no one congratulated him on his success? There was no one because he had lost everyone. All he wanted was the fame John Hammond had promised him when he was young and naïve. In the end, it cost him everything.

Wu knew Hammond had been sidetracked when Arnold and Muldoon caught Nedry in the act of betrayal. He had been so close to reaching his dream and then it vanished. Everything he had hoped for had been put on hold because of Nedry's failings and Hammond's worry about having a safe park and trustworthy staff. It infuriated Wu so much, and he had started to withdraw from the InGen staff even before Dodgson had approached him. Back then, Wu had been better about keeping a smiling façade.

Now it was harder to hide behind a friendly face. It was harder because he had finally made his move, and he made his move known to InGen. To Wu, it made sense: Dodgson promised what Hammond couldn't deliver. Hammond talked a good game about Jurassic Park, and he had gotten far ahead, but only to an extent. Then he stopped. Wu was a proud man and had to keep going, further than Hammond had imagined. Well, the truth was Hammond still had his vision of opening up Jurassic Park to the world, but Wu was impatient to press on with it. So he had to think of himself and keep pushing forward, even when Hammond was unable to because of what had happened to him.

Then there were other considerations to take into account, but Wu didn't dwell on them. It didn't matter to him that Dodgson had left Nedry to stand trial by himself and serve his prison sentence alone. That never fazed Wu. In Wu's eyes, Nedry was stupid enough to get caught so he brought about his ordeal from his mistakes.

Wu was convinced he wouldn't make the same mistakes. He would join Dodgson, share his findings and research with him, and together, they'd move forward to acquire InGen's technology. Dodgson's charisma had certainly pulled him in. _A brilliant geneticist such as you shouldn't have his talents taken for granted, his accomplishments fall to the wayside, or his dreams trampled on. _Dodgson had said it perfectly. Wu finally felt understood. Someone, even if that someone was dark and unsavory, was hearing him out and willing to take him seriously. It also helped that they shared a similar background and interests. At least Dodgson knew what Wu was talking about when they discussed genetics. Hammond didn't really know about it, and so he couldn't appreciate the depth of knowledge Wu possessed.

Now…now it meant absolutely nothing.

Wu looked back longingly at the staff lodge. _I can't go back there and face them,_he thought. He could go to the bungalow to attend Dodgson's meeting. Dodgson had already informed Wu of his plan to invite Biosyn's CEO to the island. Wu had been pleased, because now it meant someone could see how all his efforts had paid off. Now his brilliance would be broadcasted to the world.

Wu wanted to go to the meeting, but something was stopping him. He knew what it was: he didn't want to sit with the Biosyn team. After all this time, he still didn't feel comfortable with them. He ate meals with them, laughed with them, but it didn't feel right. He had never been able to fully adjust to the personalities and quirks of Dodgson's team. Most of them, like Sonya and Tembo were selfish and cruel. Lopez was the only one who Wu felt somewhat friendly with. The rest…Wu shrugged them off, and what he gave out, they returned back to him.

It came down to the fact that he had no friends. When he decided to chase after what he believed was his well-deserved fame, he had sacrificed more than his peace of mind. _Fame is fickle, it's here today and gone tomorrow, _Wu thought, _and friends are forever. _The sayings kept repeating themselves in his mind. If only there was someone who understood his difficult position now. If only he could speak to someone without fear of judgment and scorn. Wu looked up as he realized that maybe there was one person who could understand…

**oOo**

Grant made himself comfortable on couch in the recreation room. Exhausted, he stifled a yawn and listened to Arnold and Muldoon.

"Twice burned," Muldoon growled. "First by Dennis, then by Henry. What the hell is wrong with them?"

"They think they're the only ones living on this planet," Arnold said.

"Where's Gerry?" Grant asked.

"He went to bed early, he's spent," Muldoon said.

Grant nodded. It had been a long day in the park tranquilizing the stegosaurs and avoiding the dilophosaurs' blinding saliva.

"So when are we getting these idiots off our island? You got any ideas, Alan?" Muldoon asked.

Grant thought for a moment. "Did you guys hear about Dodgson's plan to invite the head staff of Biosyn to the island?" he asked. "Dodgson's holding a secret meeting with his team in John's bungalow. I happened to pass by and hear some of the conversation."

Arnold coughed.

"He's been saying this for awhile now," Muldoon finally said.

"This time, he's serious about acquiring Isla Nublar and Jurassic Park," Grant said. "We have to stop him, but what are we going to do?"

"When did you hear this?" Arnold asked.

Grant sighed as he stood up and closed the door. It was going to be a long night.

**oOo**

"You missed a spot," Wu said as he entered the cafeteria.

He watched Nedry finish his work. The floors glimmered and a fresh pine scent carried over to where Wu stood. There was no trace of the mud slop and animal viscera that had been splashed on the floors earlier. No stench and no stains. Wu didn't seem to notice that Nedry was using extra materials. It was just as well since the cafeteria was far cleaner than the first time.

"Thanks, you're so observant." Nedry scrubbed the floor harder and got up. He was ready to throw out his clothes and put on fresh new ones.

"Pleasure's all mine."

"Isn't it always?"

"Knock it off."

"Hank, would you be kind enough to lend me a pair of rubber gloves?"

"The lab's closed for the evening," Wu said, flatly.

"Aw, poo!" Nedry laughed. "It should be open twenty-four seven; so that I can steal more embryos and sell them on the black market."

Wu shook his head. "I have a question to ask you," he said as he inched closer to the area that had been disinfected and completely cleaned up.

"Ask away."

"Do you ever feel lonely?"

Nedry blinked, confused by Wu's question. "What do you mean?"

"It's an easy question. Yes or no. Do you ever feel lonely?"

"Lonely or alone?"

"Lonely as in being alone."

Nedry thought for a moment. "At the risk of sounding like Dr. Malcolm: alone and lonely are very different situations. Alone isn't so bad. It's okay to be alone and have self-time, you know? It's a time to think, rest your mind, that sort of thing. Lonely is the worst. It's like no one's there, just you, and you wish you had a friend, even just one friend would make the loneliness go away…I don't know." He shrugged.

"Stop overanalyzing and answer the damn question: do you feel lonely?"

"All the time."

"Good. You should."

Wu turned his back on Nedry, before he could dive further into "alone versus lonely." As if Nedry read his mind, he continued.

"Strike that. Sometimes I feel alone and I'm okay with it, other times I feel lonely and it's unbearable. It is what it is." He finished cleaning and then stood back to look at his work.

Wu didn't answer. It was easier that way because he didn't know how to respond. He focused on himself and swam in his thoughts. _Alone versus lonely…_He heard Nedry gather the cleaning supplies together.

"You're feeling it, aren't you?"

"I don't feel anything," Wu snapped.

"That's what you tell yourself in the beginning. It makes the act that much easier. Sometimes you justify it. In my case, Hammond wasn't paying me enough, among other things. In yours…" Nedry trailed off, confused. "Why did you betray InGen?"

"InGen betrayed me."

"How so?"

"John didn't keep his promise." Wu felt the onset of a headache as he thought about it.

"That's _it_?"

"What were you expecting?"

"I dunno, Henry, maybe something along the lines of—"

Wu spun around, anger shining in his eyes from their conversation. "Shut up."

"The pain is real…you never think in your wildest dream you'll feel this way, but you do."

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"You're feeling the after-effects of betrayal. You know what it's like to be on the receiving end. Now you're the one who dealt it out. It's a lot different as you can see."

"Shut. Up." The two words crept from his clenched teeth.

"The lonely feelings will subside. You get used to it...or maybe you don't get used to it..." Nedry was deathly serious. "When you hurt others, you hurt yourself. I learned that the hard way."

Wu tapped his foot impatiently. "Then why do you still do it? You came back here pretending to be with InGen again and then switched back to Biosyn."

"Your point is?"

"You're still lying and betraying everyone."

"How do you know I'm still doing that?" Nedry asked and for an instant, his infamous grin flashed across his face. "Are you taking notes on me? You should!"

"You—you," Wu stammered, pointing at him.

"_You_ think you know, but you don't know. You have no idea."

Confusion wracked Wu's mind. What kind of mind game was Nedry playing?

"Are you prepared for all the abuse coming your way? The consequences?"

"What abuse?" Wu rolled his eyes.

"Ever since that day Robert and Ray caught me at the east dock, I've been beaten, shot, cuffed, shackled, bound, incarcerated, rejected, humiliated, despised, hunted for, searched after, set up, boxed in, and called every name in the book." Nedry ticked each experience off his intact fingers.

"It can't be that bad if you're still alive to boast about it."

"I'm not boasting. I'm just warning you the path you've chosen isn't an easy one."

"'_The path you've chosen,_'" Wu mimicked, as he started towards the double doors. "You're really poetic when you want to be."

"I'm saying what comes around goes around."

"Yeah, what you put into life is what you get out of it. You brought all that misery on yourself, Dennis. I know you want my company now that your name has changed to Misery. Own up to it like a man."

"I am. Like I told you earlier, I'm an honest traitor."

"That's the best oxymoron I've ever heard."

Nedry carried the cleaning supplies with him, ready to leave the cafeteria for the evening. He stopped in front of Wu and turned off the lights, pitching them in darkness.

"From one traitor to another, welcome to the world of having only enemies and no friends."

"Takes one to know one." Wu smiled half-heartedly in the darkness.

"Touché," Nedry agreed.

He left the cafeteria, and Wu followed shortly after.

* * *

**Author's Notes: **Thanks to Tiara aka Digital Tempest for "Wicked Ways" by Garbage. Readers, I hope you caught the "Father Mukada" reference. If not, you can YouTube or Google it. Wu's thoughts were further expanded thanks to Master Shaper and DarthSiditious. The original chapter already had his exchanges with Nedry, but his perspective on his choices is important, and I thank the readers for suggesting this. See you at the next chapter!

**-Sassy Lil Scorpio**


	16. The Grand Tour

**The Grand Tour**

"Good afternoon, everyone, and thank you for your timely attendance."

Lewis Dodgson stood over a podium that Howard King had placed in the cafeteria early in the morning to prepare for the afternoon staff meeting. The InGen staff had shuffled through the double doors and didn't hide the fact that they were uninterested in what Dodgson had to say. They sat together, refusing to separate, and because Dodgson was in an expansive mood, he decided to let their "unruly behavior" slide. On the opposite side of the room, the Biosyn team demonstrated high enthusiasm and chorused a hardy "Good afternoon" in return.

Dodgson grinned. "Howard, pass out the meeting's agenda and then I'll take it from there."

He waited for King to distribute the meeting's outline to everyone and watched everyone's reaction. Ellie Sattler scrunched up the paper into a ball. Ian Malcolm briefly scanned it and Alan Grant gave it a quick glance and then focused on Dodgson. Ray Arnold and Gerry Harding shared one. Robert Muldoon ripped his in half while staring directly at Dodgson—making it clear what he felt about the meeting.

"Give one to the kids, Howard," Dodgson said, keeping his eyes on Muldoon. "I want them in on this."

King nodded and gave Lex Murphy a copy. She gave it to her brother.

"Don't even think about it!" Dodgson snapped, pointing at them.

Tim Murphy dropped the paper to the table. He had started making a paper airplane.

"Make sure my team gets copies."

Dodgson waited patiently for King to hand out the meeting outline to his staff. Henry Wu beamed and Raúl Lopez rubbed his hands together when King handed one for them to share. King came around to Roland Tembo, who snatched the paper from his hands. Sonya Durant giggled at this.

"Your welcome," King muttered, distributing the remaining copies to George Baselton and Donald Gennaro. When he was finished, he took a seat near the front of the cafeteria where Dodgson stood behind the podium.

"What about us?" Dennis Nedry asked. He pointed at himself and George Lawala, who sat with him in the far corner. "We didn't get anything."

"That's why you have ears," Dodgson said. "So you can listen to what I'm going to tell you." He cleared his throat. "The reason for this afternoon's meeting is of grave importance to each of you. I want to inform you that after several thorough discussions with Mr. Gennaro, Mr. Baselton, and my assistant, Mr. King, I have decided to invite the top heads from Biosyn to visit our island. Furthermore, their visit will be taking place at the end of this week on Friday. It's short notice, so you have no time to waste in preparing for their arrival. They will spend the weekend here to see the facility. If the inspection is successful, Biosyn will buy the island and technology from InGen, which Mr. Gennaro has arranged." Dodgson turned to him. "Many thanks, Donald."

Gennaro didn't acknowledge Dodgson's words. He forced himself to remain still, even as everyone's eyes from InGen bored holes into him. He wanted to escape from the cafeteria and get away from their hateful stares. Right now, he was a target destined to be obliterated. Muddling with the corporate enemy turned out to be a huge mistake; Gennaro realized this a little too late. He had no choice, but to go along with Dodgson's plans. He hoped one day the InGen staff would understand he had good intentions even if they had been executed poorly and convoluted by his own greed.

Meanwhile, Muldoon and Arnold glanced at Grant, realizing that what he had told them turned out to be much worse than they expected. Grant had warned them several nights ago in the staff lodge that he had overheard Dodgson's plans. He knew it was just another thing added to the growing list of stress and frustration on the island and this ranked at the top. _We'll discuss this later_, Grant mouthed to them. They nodded.

"Is there anything you'd like to share with us, Dr. Grant?" Dodgson asked, adjusting his tinted shades.

"No."

Dodgson stared at him, trying to intimidate him into speaking in front of everyone. It didn't work as Grant stared at him right back with an icy expression that revealed no fear. Dodgson watched him a minute longer and then continued.

"Everyone has to prepare for this upcoming visit. Participation is mandatory. Biosyn will decide whether or not to endorse our project. They're giving their own on-site inspection, which will include the park tour." Dodgson pointed at Grant, Ellie, and Malcolm. "Just like when you came several years ago to check out the park for John Hammond, my staff is doing the same on behalf of Biosyn." He turned to his Wu. "When my boss, Jeff Rossiter, and Peter Steingarten, the Biosyn CEO approves—which I'm confident they will, since there's virtually no reason for them _not _to approve—everything on this island will belong to Biosyn and my team of exemplary employees will run Jurassic Park."

The Biosyn team burst into a round of applause. In the silence of the cafeteria, their clapping sounded like a dozen machine guns firing bulleTembo pointed at Muldoon and then back at himself. Muldoon knew what he meant: Tembo was still bent on having his position as game warden of Jurassic Park.

"Let's see, what's next on our list for today…oh yes, here we go. I plan on retrieving all of InGen's information regarding this park."

"As if you don't have it all already," Muldoon grumbled.

"Excuse me? We can't hear you when you mutter under your breath, Mr. Muldoon. If you want to speak up, then raise your hand and I'll gladly call on you." He made sure the condescending tone in his voice was loud and clear. "Well?"

Muldoon said nothing.

"As I was saying before that rude interruption…Dennis finished designing a program which will transfer and download all the information from InGen's database into one that he designed for Biosyn's purposes. InGen's secrets will become Biosyn's surprises to show the entire world. Dennis, you said it could take hours and possibly days to complete the transfer. Go start now. Lawala, monitor him in the control room."

Nedry looked at him, a wide grin plastered on his face. "You don't trust me."

"I trust you enough to do the task without screwing up." Dodgson pointed at the cafeteria's double doors.

Nedry and Lawala got up and left the cafeteria. Muldoon noticed Arnold's stare remained focused on the double doors.

"Biosyn will be up-to-date with InGen's research, secrets, and science. Back to where we started: Mr. Rossiter and Mr. Steingarten will be here from Friday to Sunday to inspect this park and we've got lots of work to do before then, so let's get started. First thing we have to do is make sure this facility is spotless. Dr. Harding, you can go into the paddocks to make sure the animals are alive and healthy. Dr. Lopez will accompany you. That's just for starters; I'll let everyone know what their tasks will be for that day by tomorrow. Everyone's doing something, even you two kids," Dodgson said, pointing at Tim and Lex. "Any questions?" He scanned the room. "Good. This inspection will be a huge success for Biosyn. It's definitely happening and there's nothing you can do to stop it. I expect to see everyone here at six o'clock. We'll discuss this further over dinner."

Dodgson left the cafeteria with King, Gennaro, and Baselton. Lopez and Harding left afterwards. Before going through the double doors, Harding turned back to the InGen staff. They were huddled in a group together. He caught Arnold's eye.

"Let me know the deal, Ray," Harding said, as he exited the cafeteria.

Arnold nodded as he watched Lopez follow Harding. Sonya, Tembo, and Wu left the cafeteria after staring at the InGen staff and deciding they weren't going to attempt to break them up. Tembo looked back once more and slammed the cafeteria's doors. Malcolm, Ellie, Grant quickly met with Muldoon and Arnold about what they just heard. Grant looked around and saw Tim and Lex standing outside of the group.

"Lex, Tim, come join us," he said, gesturing to the circle.

They went to the adults and listened as everyone expressed outrage about Dodgson's ambitious plans.

"He's out of his mind," Arnold said, shaking his head. "He's completely out of his mind. There's no way this can be happening."

"What's this about Dennis creating a database for them?" Ellie asked. "It must be the same one Dodgson had mentioned when you first came back, Alan."

Grant nodded. "That's been his main focus: the database and having these inspectors come to the island."

"Dodgson has been looking for someone who knows computers and look who's with them now..." Arnold's voice trailed off. He didn't have to name the person. Everyone knew.

Muldoon sighed, but said nothing. There was so much to say, but he was through talking. He wanted to take action against Biosyn. Up to now, everything was just empty words.

Malcolm listened to everyone and then remembered the note he received from Nedry. He fished inside his pocket for it. Opening it up, he read it quickly and now part of it made sense to him, specifically the line about Biosyn repeating history.

"Maybe he will help us with this situation—in his own twisted way," he quickly added.

Everyone stared at Malcolm as if he had walked in late to a wedding with a boom-box turned to the highest volume.

Arnold shook his head and summed up what everyone was thinking: "He's not helping us—he's helping _them!_" He gestured to the cafeteria's double doors. "What the hell is he doing to help us? Not a damn thing! And now we have _Biosyn_ fat cats coming to check out the island—so that they could _buy_ Jurassic Park, with Gennaro's help no less."

Arnold tapped his foot impatiently, and shoved his hands in his pockets, searching for a cigarette to smoke away the extreme stress that suffocated him. No one said anything as he flicked his lighter over the cigarette he had found. There was nothing to say, and everyone seemed to find another point in the cafeteria to distract them from the inevitable situation that hung over them. Finally, it was Muldoon who spoke in a low voice that could barely be heard.

"Thank God, John's not here to see this."

**oOo**

Six o'clock rolled around quickly and it was dinner time. To boost everyone's morale, Dodgson insisted the tables be pushed together so that the InGen and Bioysn staff could sit together and plan for their upcoming inspection that would take place at the end of the week.

So far, it wasn't going as well as he expected.

Malcolm, Muldoon, Ellie, and Grant sat at the end of the tables one side. Lex, Tim, Harding and Arnold sat across from them. Again they were practicing what they called "strength in numbers." It seemed to be working because no one from the Biosyn team started trouble with them.

There were two empty chairs next to Arnold. Gennaro took the seat next to Arnold and Dodgson sat beside him. King and Baselton sat across from them, while the rest of the Biosyn team sat at the polar end. Tembo and Sonya ate quietly together with Lopez and Wu. Every now and then, they glanced at the InGen staff on the opposite end. It was a strange evening with Gennaro and Dodgson sitting between both companies acting as the mediating team.

Lawala and Nedry sat together and were the only two talking. Or rather, it was Nedry talking _over _Dodgson. The rest of the sounds in the cafeteria were the usual clinking of silverware. Dodgson attempted to spread his enthusiasm and lift their spirits.

"As I was saying in the meeting earlier…they'll be here by this Friday and everyone will play an important part when they arrive," Dodgson said, eyeing Nedry. Finally, he stopped. "Okay, you go and have your conversation since it's obviously more important than what I have to say."

"Actually, it is," Nedry said. He pointed in Gennaro's direction. "You see him? He's the one you want to talk to around here."

Lawala nodded.

Gennaro sneered at Nedry. "Don't point at me," he growled.

"Don't be so sensitive. Now, if you want to talk to anybody about that, Mr. Gennaro's the one. He's a puny jerk of a lawyer, but sometimes he's reasonable."

Nedry picked up a chicken finger and munched on it, returning Gennaro's glare. Lopez stared at him, astonished. He knew he wasn't seeing things—Nedry was eating with his fingers—and flexing them! _Son of a bitch_, he thought, _you think you can fool everyone here?_ There was no way he would stay silent.

"You're using your right hand to eat." Lopez's tone was venomous. "The one you cried over because we broke your stupid fingers."

Nedry glanced around the table. "Everyone else is using their right hand too! What an incredible revelation!"

"Isn't it?"

"Chicken fingers are finger food." Nedry tore a piece of chicken finger, dipped it in the honey mustard on his plate, and continued eating.

"You're faking an injury."

"I'm not."

"I don't believe you."

"I don't care."

Lopez shook his head and grumbled under his breath.

"You know, Raúl, if you spent as much time studying lizards as you spend studying me, you might come up with a reasonable theory as to why they went extinct."

"Even better, I'd do the world a favor and make _you_ go extinct."

Dodgson slammed his glass on the table, interrupting their argument. "_Both of you fucking shut up!_"

A brief silence. Everyone stared at Dodgson and his sudden outburst directed at Nedry and Lopez. Sensing he had the audience's undivided attention, Nedry continued, not the least bit fazed by Dodgson's usual temper.

"Really, since you think I'm faking it, do I get a plaque for my outstanding acting abilities? Robert thinks I'm a good actor too."

Muldoon glanced in his direction and then at everyone he sat with. Grant shook his head as if to say _don't even bother with him_. Ellie scowled and Malcolm shook salt onto his food. He acted as though he were ignoring everything around him, when he was actually paying close attention.

"Yes, you're a bloody good actor," Muldoon agreed. "You had everyone on InGen fooled."

"I sure did, right? Especially you, I mean, wow, to fool the great and powerful Robert Muldoon means I'm really good at making people believe I'm something I'm not."

"And what's that?" Lopez asked.

"I'm not sure anymore, it depends on who you ask. Not too long ago, Robert was my savior and I was the lost soul he was trying to save."

"I wasn't trying to save you," Muldoon snapped.

"Yes, you were. Stop lying," Nedry said, leaning over the table. "It's not nice to lie. If you're going to be my savior, then for goodness' sake, try to set an example."

"Shut your bloody mouth." Muldoon rose from his seat, surprising everyone from InGen. "There's no chance in hell that I'd ever waste my time trying to save you!"

Nedry laughed, entertained by Muldoon's reaction to him. "There you go, getting all pissed. Temper, temper."

"Why are you even arguing with him?" Arnold asked. "You know it won't go anywhere."

Muldoon looked as though he were going to throw something at Nedry. "What would it take to shut you up?"

"Listen to yourself;" Nedry said, sounding like a school teacher, shocked at a parent cursing in front of their children. He gestured to Tim and Lex at the end of the table. "There are children present. You need to do something about that temper, Robert. It's not becoming." Nedry smirked at Arnold. "Ray, stop stressing yourself over business that isn't yours to stress about. Go smoke a cigarette." He turned back to Lopez and totally missed Arnold's scathing glance. "So yeah, I am whatever you say I am. Hell, _I_ don't know who I am anymore."

Lopez flashed a sardonic grin. "Then in that case, let me clarify for you."

"Please with a cherry and Sonya on top."

"Shut up, Dennis," she hissed, slamming her fork down on the table.

Lopez winked at her. "I'll make sure I add the arsenic. Let's see…you're a lying shitbag traitor who belongs locked up in a maximum security prison staring at all three walls and bars. You deserve to be caged like the lizards you hate here. The only thing you're good for is shining my shoes. Want practice?"

Nedry smiled. "Sure. Put out your shoes out."

He picked up a clean napkin to use as the cloth to shine Lopez's shoes. By now, everyone was watching the spectacle in silence. Lopez stuck out his leg as Nedry came over and knelt down. He made a scratching noise inside his throat and spat a gob of foamy saliva on Lopez's shoe. Lopez stared at his shoe, his jaw slack open in shock. Nedry tossed the napkin at him.

"I don't shine anyone's shoes except my own. Make Roland do it for you, he's a pro."

Tembo set down in his knife and fork on his plate. "Care to repeat that last line?"

"I said 'make Roland do it for you, he's a pro'."

"Am I." Tembo's question came out more as a backwards declaration.

"Absolutely! You can clean it up, shine it up, or even better lick it up. Whatever suits your fancy."

Tembo stared at Nedry as if he were an endangered tiger that was about to find a new home in his trophy room.

Nedry grinned as he sat down again and went back to talking with Lawala as though nothing had happened. Everyone in the cafeteria stared at him. He felt like an actor on Broadway at the end of a show minus the applause and curtain call. The only person in the audience that wanted his money back was Dodgson.

"_Dennis!_"

Nedry looked up, eyebrows raised. "Yeah?"

"Get the hell out right now! I'm tired of your constant diarrhea of the mouth. It's disgusting." Dodgson stood up and went to the cafeteria's double doors.

"So are Raúl, Roland, and Sonya. Do you know what those three do behind closed doors?"

"You're begging to have a stake sticking out of your heart." Sonya wiped a carving knife slowly, indicating what she wanted to do with it. "Make him leave, Lew."

Dodgson ignored her. "Get out!" He got up and threw open the double doors of the cafeteria.

"They get dressed up like vampires!"

"_Now!_"

Nedry got up and sighed. Walking backwards so that he still spoke to Lawala, he finished what he was telling him. "If you're interested in what we were talking about, George, talk to Mr. Gennaro. Even better; talk to Robert. He can give you the information. I'm sure after the tour; there'll be plenty of time to discuss with him your aspirations for the park."

Dodgson held the doors open for him and Nedry paraded out the cafeteria. Dodgson followed him outside and everyone could hear the rage in his voice.

"You still like to be the center of attention? I have something better for you to do! Go back to the control room and finish what you started."

They couldn't hear Nedry, but it didn't matter as Dodgson quickly returned.

"Now…where were we? Participation is mandatory. That includes you two," Dodgson said, pointing at Tim and Lex. "I'll find something for you two to do. In the meantime, the rest of you get ready. Friday will be upon us and we've got a park to sell…" he grinned widely. "…or rather, a company to buy."

**oOo**

Friday came and everything was set up for the grand tour. Arrangements were made for their visitors to arrive at around eleven in the morning and at the latest, noon. All week Dodgson had raved about the upcoming inspection. He sounded excited as though he was the one going on the park inspection— and not the one who invited others to check out the park.

Throughout the week, the Biosyn team had ensured the InGen staff completed each assigned task. Tim and Lex had been ordered to wash and scrub the tour jeeps to the point where the vehicles shined and they could see their reflections. The dinosaurs in the park were given extra food and water to boost up their energy levels. Harding had advised against this, but his advice went unheeded. Wu had polished the genetics lab and scribbled notes on index cards so that he could present his research in a clear and concise manner. Two rooms were made available in the staff lodge. In an effort to demean Muldoon, Dodgson had given him the tasks of cleaning up and changing the bed linens. Muldoon had completed the job stiff-lipped and returned to his usual errands. Arnold and Nedry had printed schedules for Dodgson's guests. Dodgson even had the chef prepare a scrumptious meal in the kitchen. Grant and Ellie did a run through of the entire visitor center with Malcolm. In short, Dodgson had thought of everything that would please the Biosyn inspectors so that they would approve of Jurassic Park the first day they arrived on the island.

It was eleven-thirty in the morning and everyone, except for the Biosyn team, waited in the visitor center's lobby. Dodgson had told his team to come in later, after the visitors arrived. For now, he'd check out Hammond's staff—including Nedry, Wu, and Gennaro.

The InGen staff wore the "dress code" that Dodgson mandated: black slacks and white button down shirts. Arnold, Harding, and Ellie were dressed exactly alike. Tim and Lex wore black shorts with white t-shirts. Grant was dressed the same as everyone, only he wore an apron similar to a waiter's attire. Malcolm donned his usual all-black attire. Although Gennaro and Wu now followed Dodgson around, they still adhered to the formality of the occasion. Nedry stood off to the side, fiddling with his collar. The only one not dressed as though he were playing the bass in the London Symphony Orchestra was Muldoon. Standing next to Arnold, he wore his trademark khakis and boots and held his fedora. Dodgson came into the lobby where the InGen staff waited for him.

"Get in line, side by side," he demanded.

They obeyed the command reluctantly. As Dodgson walked down the line, he nodded in approval. He stopped when he got to Muldoon, snorting in annoyance.

"You're not going on a safari or a game trail, Mr. Muldoon. I expect before the end of this hour, you'll have changed your attire. You should be dressed appropriately like everyone else."

Muldoon simply stared straight ahead as if Dodgson were air. Dodgson huffed and went to Tim and Lex, who were at the end of the line holding Jurassic Park brochures.

"Good job. At least some of you do as you're told."

"Dr. Dodgson?"

Dodgson turned around, when he saw Lopez walk down the spiral staircase to meet him in the lobby.

"It's Mr. Rossiter, he says they'll be arriving soon."

Dodgson nodded. "Very good." He scanned the group in front of him. Who should be the designated chauffeur, as far as picking up the visitors at the helipad? His gaze fell on Harding. "Dr Harding, go pick up Mr. Rossiter and Mr. Ludlow and bring them here."

Harding walked out the double doors without saying a word. The rest of the staff watched him leave, the double doors closing behind him. Dodgson smiled, pleased. So far the day was off to a wonderful start.

And it would only get better.

**oOo**

Tim and Lex stood with Dodgson in the visitor center's lobby, waiting for the visitors to arrive. Moments before, he had ordered Tembo, Sonya, and Lawala to escort the InGen staff to the control room. At first he was going to introduce the InGen staff to Jeff Rossiter and Peter Steingarten, but then decided against it. There was no reason for the InGen staff to meet them. In Dodgson's mind, Arnold, Harding, and Muldoon were non-existent and already out the door. There was no question that Rossiter and Steingarten would approve of Jurassic Park. By this time tomorrow, Gennaro would be handing them the legal documents to sign, giving Biosyn permission to overtake the InGen Corporation, and in doing so, the park staff would be forced out of their positions.

Dodgson grinned when he thought about it. It was too good to be true and now he wondered why he had ever settled for embryos or a simple dinosaur. Why eat a slice of the cake when you could devour the entire dessert, recipe included? Dodgson's grin widened. The 'recipe' included the database Nedry had designed to aid Biosyn. Last time he checked, Nedry had seventy-five percent of the information downloaded and stored away for Biosyn's use. Things were going to drastically change in a matter of hours, and Dodgson couldn't wait to witness it. He turned to Tim and Lex, who waited patiently.

"Where's Dr. Grant?"

"He went to the cafeteria," Lex said.

"He's still there now?"

"I guess so."

"You guess or you know?" Dodgson snapped. He hated kids and would push Tim and Lex off a boat to drown in the ocean if he could get away with it.

"I guess," Lex said, shrugging.

Her eyes met his. The hatred she felt towards him was obvious. Dodgson stared back at her. Lex's glare never wavered. Dodgson clenched his fists at his sides in a determined effort to maintain self-control. He imagined himself slapping the daylights out of Lex, and he was very close to doing so, but he knew he had to keep his cool. He couldn't cause a ruckus—not with the visitors arriving soon. Taking a deep breath, he went over to Tim.

"Where's Dr. Sattler and Dr. Malcolm?"

"They said they'd be right back," Tim said, holding a stack of brochures. "They went upstairs."

Dodgson frowned. _Why the hell are they upstairs?_ "They should be here any minute, get ready—"

Just then the double doors opened and Harding walked in, followed by two men dressed in black business suits. They had a corporate air to them as though they sat in boardrooms attending meetings all day, and accepted phone calls from the young secretaries they secretly preyed on. Rossiter kept glancing over his shoulder as though he were being followed. Steingarten walked as though on stilts, high above everyone and with a pompousness that made the air too stuffy to breathe. It was obvious they hadn't exchanged pleasantries with Harding, They didn't have time to make small talk due to their hectic schedule. Harding didn't seem to care and started away from them, hands shoved in his pockets.

"Dr. Harding, you can go to the control room now and meet with your colleagues." Dodgson dismissed him, waving him off. _Get the fuck out of here, you shithead,_ he thought.

Harding sent Dodgson a scathing glance and then looked over at Tim and Lex. They stared back at him. No words were exchanged, but he could read the fear in their eyes. Harding offered them a half-hearted smile in an effort to communicate to them that things would work out for InGen. He didn't know how, now that the "inspectors" were here. _The day isn't over yet— anything could happen._ Those thoughts kept him going. Harding waved at Tim and Lex and started up the spiral staircase to meet the rest of the staff in the control room.

**oOo**

Arnold, Muldoon, and Nedry shuffled into the control room with Tembo, Sonya, and Lawala close behind. Under Dodgson's orders, they were to remain in the control room with the InGen staff and keep them under strict surveillance during the entire park tour.

"Go to your stations," Tembo ordered.

Arnold sat down in front of two video monitors, Muldoon in front of one, and Nedry sat in the far corner accompanied by three buzzing computers. Sonya and Lawala situated themselves in the control room so that they were able to watch everything and prevent any form of communication between the InGen staff. Tembo went to the front of the control room.

"Listen up; I'm going to dictate the rules while we're cooped up in here. One. No one leaves the control room under any circumstances. Two. No backtalk. Three. Do as you're told. Questions?"

Arnold tapped on the keyboard, relaying the tension he felt from the whole ordeal. Muldoon glared at Tembo. Tembo stared back at him, refusing to be intimidated.

"Good. First order of business: Mr. Arnold, initiate the tour program. By the time they leave the center, the tour jeeps should be out there waiting for them."

**oOo**

Tim silently handed a brochure to Jeff Rossiter.

"Thank you," Rossiter said, politely. He opened it up and skimmed through the images and information.

Lex handed the same one to Steingarten.

"Thanks."

Both directors breezed through the brochure. Dodgson looked on as Tim and Lex handed the rest of the brochures to Gennaro, Wu, Baselton, King, and Lopez, who had came down into the main lobby to meet their guests, shortly after Harding left. They didn't need the information about the park since they knew first-hand about InGen's project, but Dodgson thought it was nice to pretend as though they were sharing the Jurassic Park experience for the first time with the Rossiter and Steingarten. It reflected beautifully on Dodgson and that's what he wanted: for everything to go perfect so that Biosyn could buy off InGen without any hesitations. InGen would be a name of the past, shrouded by shame and buried under bankruptcy. _It'd go extinct; so to speak_, he chuckled when he thought about it. Rossiter and Steingarten looked up, smiling broadly.

"This lobby is marvelous," Steingarten said, gesturing towards the dinosaur skeletons. "I love this banner." He pointed above him. "'_When Dinosaurs Ruled the Earth_'—gives the entire place a prehistoric aura."

"It is!" Dodgson said, excitedly. "Everything on this island is very well thought out."

"It's all very nicely done. John Hammond spared no expense, huh?"

At the mention of Hammond, Dodgson chortled. He noticed Lex and Tim looked forlorn at the mention of their grandfather, and this amused him even more. "He went all out when building his empire."

"We're ready to go on that tour, Lew," Rossiter said. "Is everything ready?"

Dodgson heard the impatient note in Rossiter's voice and nodded eagerly. "Allow me to lead the way."

**oOo **

"I was going to show you the control room," Dodgson said, pointing at the door further down the corridor on the second level, "but time is of the essence, and I'd rather throw you into the magic behind Jurassic Park. The control room staff will bore you with nitty-gritty details about how they run the park and maintain control over the island."

Rossiter and Steingarten said nothing as they followed him to the genetics lab. Lopez and Gennaro trailed behind them and Baselton and King stayed towards the rear of the group. When they reached the outside of the genetics lab, Dodgson held up a single digit to indicate he would return in a moment and then rushed inside before they could ask questions. He had to give Wu a quick last minute pep-talk before his part of the tour began. Dodgson shivered—the lab was freezing or maybe he was just nervous. The room was immaculate and no germ would dare invade the area. A faint scent of bleach hung in the air. Wu jotted notes on a clipboard while circling an incubator in the back of the room.

"Are you ready?"

Wu placed the clipboard on a nearby shelf. "They're here now?"

"Right outside this door, Hank," Dodgson said, gesturing to the entrance.

For a moment, Wu paled and he glanced quickly at the door, as though expecting the guests to storm through. Standing tall, he set his shoulders back and quickly regained his confidence. "I've been waiting for this moment for years now."

"Good, that's what I want to hear."

"So am I going to start by explaining to them how InGen cloned the dinosaurs? If that's the case, we can show them the cartoon."

Dodgson shook his head. Wu had told him earlier that they could conduct the tour in the genetics lab two ways: show the cartoon or have him explain everything down to the last detail. The former was…cute...and the latter tended to be boring. Not many people were interested in hearing about gene sequencers, amber deposits, frog DNA, and scientific theories and explanations. That was Wu's world, it was his specialty and life's work, but he knew everyone didn't share his passion.

Most times, the visitors wanted to see the outcome of his work—the dinosaurs. He was always elated by this, but at the same time, he wanted everyone to appreciate his efforts into making Hammond's dream possible. He wanted the world's visitors—both today's and Jurassic Park's future guests—to know every single detail that went into cloning and genetic engineering—but that would take far too long. So Hammond had the Mr. DNA cartoon created for that purpose, leaving Wu to stay in the lab, keeping watch of new dinosaurs hatching. This time was different: it wasn't visitors from InGen inspecting the park, but Biosyn's chairmen. Wu was undecided on which direction to take. Lucky for him, Dodgson didn't share the same indecision.

"I don't want to show that cheesy Mr. DNA cartoon. They deserve to know the genius behind this project."

Wu flashed a broad grin. The spotlight was entirely on him. _About damn time,_ he thought.

"In the meantime, I'll be running in and out behind the scenes to make sure everything is running smoothly."

Without another word to Wu, Dodgson opened the door to the genetics lab and gestured for the guests to come inside. Rossiter and Steingarten walked inside the lab as though they had done so many times already. They behaved like this was a familiar environment that they funded, and therefore owned. Gennaro, Baselton, King, and Lopez followed them in, single file.

"Right now, you are inside the genetics lab where Dr. Wu will explain in full detail the miracle behind Jurassic Park. I'm leaving you in his very talented hands and will return before you start the actual park tour."

**oOo**

Dodgson left Wu to take care of his section of the tour. It was a good motivator for Wu, to discuss genetics in front of the future owners of InGen. It was strange to acknowledge that Wu was from InGen even though he had made the switchover to Biosyn awhile ago. Wu had cast him a heated glare for mentioning InGen and his name in the same sentence, which is why Dodgson had to super-boost him in the end. He had to constantly coddle Wu's ego, something Dodgson wasn't too fond of doing for anyone, but he knew the rules in the game of industrial espionage. If Wu felt good about himself—that he was valued and prized above all—then he'd remain loyal to Biosyn. That was Dodgson's main reason for letting him start the tour first. He would cater to Wu fragility if it meant he'd stay around Biosyn and not entertain going back to InGen. In the end, Dodgson was doing it for himself and no one else. Wu may've thought differently, but that was his ignorance, and Dodgson was all too satisfied to let his blindness give him sight.

Aside from that, he wanted to check on what everyone else was doing. He went down to the first level of the visitor center and approached the cafeteria. Silently, Dodgson opened the double doors and listened to Grant's and Harding's conversation. Dodgson fumed: Harding was supposed to be in the control room—not in the cafeteria talking with Grant. They were in the back and didn't hear him enter. That was fine with Dodgson. He would listen to them until he decided to make his presence known.

"So now you're a world-renowned waiter," Harding said.

"From world-renowned paleontologist to 'May I take your order'."

"When they come back after the tour, they'll raid the place."

"What are they doing now?"

"Listening to Henry's explanation of how he engineered the dinosaurs." Harding paused. "You know, I still can't believe he turned his back on us."

Grant finished wiping a table and placed a set of napkins down. He looked up when he heard the somber note in Harding's voice. "I think he'll come to his senses."

"I don't."

"Why?"

"He's just not who he used to be…or more so, he's not the man we all thought he was. I'd hate to see John's reaction if he knew what was going on today."

Grant nodded. "It'd hurt him very much."

"It would." Harding sighed. "But what are we gonna do?" Then he smirked. "There _is _something you can do."

"What's that?"

"Spit in their food." He chuckled. "And if you're really daring—piss in their drinks."

Grant sent him a wry smile. "That's not the Gerry Harding I know."

"Gerry Harding died awhile ago after all the mess that went down here." Harding sighed, sadly. "I don't know, Alan. Just do something to show them they're not welcome to rob from InGen. They can't come here thinking they can take over everything John's worked hard to achieve. I hated picking them up—on the way here; they were in the backseat, jabbering away about admission fees and royalties as if they owned Jurassic Park already."

"I say let them pretend, they haven't won anything yet."

"But they will tonight."

Harding and Grant spun around at the same time to see Dodgson approach them.

"You—where are you supposed to be?"

Harding didn't answer.

"Well? Are you fucking deaf? I asked you a question. What are you doing here? You shouldn't be running your mouth to _Dr._ Grant. He has things to do and so do you."

Harding mumbled under his breath and left the cafeteria. Dodgson watched him leave to ensure that he didn't lurk around the area. Grant went back to wiping and cleaning the tables as though his recent conversation had never occurred.

"_Dr._ Grant."

Grant looked up at the sound of his name. Whenever Dodgson spoke to him, he sounded like a cello badly out of tune that continued to be played by a stubborn musician.

"The cafeteria needs to be ready by the time our guests return from the tour. I'm sure you can do the job of making sure this entire area is clean and accessible by then. Are we clear?"

"Crystal."

"Good." Dodgson grinned the grin of a maniac who had successfully overthrown the warden of an oppressive insane asylum. "Perhaps we'll speak later about your position in InGen…there's always room for world-renowned paleontologists on my team."

"I'm thoroughly satisfied with my position as a consultant for InGen." Grant took a deep breath before his next words. "I'm not brought off so easily."

He stopped what he was doing and looked at Dodgson. What Grant saw chilled him to the bone. Dodgson had a fatal aura to him. It was as though Death was the shadow that followed him everywhere. There was no other way to explain it. His eyes were a cold gray, the shade of clouds on an overcast day. They were expressionless. His features had tightened and even though Dodgson smiled, there was no sincere joy in his expression.

"We'll see about that, Dr. Grant. Finish up what you're doing here and don't leave the visitor center. Your assistance may be necessary later."

Grant nodded and went back to cleaning the tables. He didn't look up even after Dodgson left the cafeteria, the double doors banging against the wall in his wake.

**oOo**

Dodgson reentered the genetics lab just as Rossiter asked Wu how many species he cloned for Jurassic Park. He thought he had been gone for much longer and glanced at his watch just to make sure. It had been nearly a half hour since he left them in the lab with Wu. Dodgson folded his hands in front of him and waited by the door.

Wu said, "Fifteen species. We originally cloned fifteen, and started development on another species." His eyes shifted to Dodgson, assuming his time was up. Dodgson gestured him to continue and he finished his explanation. "In all, the island houses sixteen types of dinosaurs."

Dodgson's eyebrows knitted together in confusion. Something wasn't right about Wu's explanation. Didn't the island hold only fourteen species now? Or was it fifteen? Extinction had been declared for the velociraptors after Hammond's incident, reducing the number to fourteen. He remembered Wu telling him awhile ago about a possible sixteenth species—but he didn't talk about it too much. So then it was really fifteen species', after all. Dodgson shrugged and attributed his overanalyzing due to the upcoming park tour. He had no reason to be nervous—he was beyond excited and enthusiastic. Not to mention confident. Everything would go according to plan. Why wouldn't it?

"We're done, Dr. Dodgson," Wu said. "It's time to start the real tour."

Dodgson nodded. "You've shown them the hatchery, the entire lab?"

"We saw _every_thing," Rossiter said, speaking for Wu. "It's truly spectacular, Lew. I'm looking forward to the tour."

"Your enthusiasm is wonderful and contagious," Dodgson told Wu. He pointed at Rossiter and Steingarten. Both men walked around the lab, inspecting it. "They really admire your work, Hank. You have a lot to be proud of. Words can't even begin describe it."

Wu smiled broadly and nodded, acknowledging the compliment bestowed on him.

"The next part of the tour is the actual park where you'll get to see the astounding accomplishments from Dr. Henry Wu's labor, work, and brilliance."

"My blood, sweat, and tears," Wu added.

Dodgson gestured to the rest of the group. "You'll be joined by Mr. Donald Gennaro, my paleontologist on staff, Dr. Raúl Lopez, Professor George Baselton, and my personal assistant, Mr. Howard King. I'm sure you'll all get along great. Are we ready?"

"Whenever you are, Dr. Dodgson," Lopez said.

Dodgson could tell by the gleam in his eyes that Lopez shared his enthusiasm…as always. "Let's get going then."

Everyone followed Dodgson out of the genetics lab and through the visitor center. A strange hush fell over the group as he led them through the lobby. They passed by the skeletal exhibit, and walked under the banner that Steingarten had commented on earlier. At the double doors, Dodgson paused and took a deep breath. He wouldn't pray that things would go smoothly.

He _knew_ they would.

Dodgson straightened his posture so that he was standing at his full height and set his shoulders back in self-confidence. He pushed open the visitor center's double doors and started down the stairs. Outside on the road, two vacant Land Cruisers waited to be filled. The sun shined radiant and high in the clear blue sky. He took that to be a good omen for what laid in store. Everything would work out beautifully in Biosyn's favor. Dodgson hung back as they approached the vehicles slowly, as though with caution of what awaited them in the park.

Wu and Gennaro got into the first Land Cruiser. Rossiter and Steingarten joined them, sitting in the backseat. Lopez, Baselton, and King got in the second Land Cruiser. Aside from Wu and Steingarten, Lopez appeared to be the most enthusiastic. Dodgson knew Rossiter was still in his skeptical mode. He was interested, but had to be convinced that acquiring InGen under Biosyn's terms was the best move for the company.

Dodgson stayed at the top of the visitor center's staircase listening to snippets of Wu's conversation with Steingarten and Rossiter. Gennaro remained silent in the vehicle, not interacting with anyone. Dodgson was going to say something to him about that, but held back. He didn't want to waste time trying to get someone to talk, if they didn't want to. Besides, in less than five minutes, they would go on the park tour, and the dinosaurs would do all of the talking. Dodgson grinned as he watched the Land Cruisers leave the visitor center and pick up speed as they headed towards the entrance gates of Jurassic Park. Before going back into the building, he saw Lopez stick out his arm, giving Dodgson the thumbs up sign, reassuring him that everything was in Biosyn's hands.

It was just a matter of time now.

**oOo**

"Could you be anymore enthusiastic?" Baselton asked Lopez as the vehicles approached the entrance gates.

Lopez sat in the front seat and twisted around to face Baselton, who sat in the backseat with King. "I've been in this park more than a dozen times. It never gets boring."

"You think they'll approve?" King asked, pointing at the vehicle in front of them.

In the front seat, Lopez turned the radio off. "We need privacy for that type of convo, Howard, and _of course_ they'll approve. Why wouldn't they?"

King shrugged and went back to a silence of his own making.

"Today's the perfect day for the inspection," Baselton continued. "It's sunny, not a cloud in sight."

"No chance of a tropical rainstorm," Lopez said. "That's what Hank explained to me about last time. They had to cut the tour short because of a thunderstorm."

"That's not going to happen today."

"I doubt it." Then Lopez's eyebrows furrowed together, as if curious. "Let's see if they're into the whole gig." He turned the knob and there was a faint hissing, then static. Then they could hear voices. Wu and Steingarten were talking.

"_These gates are huge! What're you hiding in there?_" Steingarten.

"_King Kong,_" Wu joked. "_John had these entrance gates made to give the park an ancient feel to it._"

"_It's creepy, that's what it is—I love it already!_" Rossiter was excited.

"Let's turn it up," Lopez said. "This is hilarious!"

Both Land Cruisers were ten feet away from the massive gates. Baselton turned the radio on again.

"_Are we going to hit the gates?_" Steingarten asked.

Just then, the gates opened, granting both vehicles entrance into Jurassic Park.

"Yes! We're in!" Lopez pumped his fist in the air. "I wonder what we'll see first."

"I thought you said you've been in the park a bazillion times," King said, half annoyed.

"Not on the park tour. Wake up, Howard! You're going to miss out if you sit there and snooze."

King ignored Lopez and closed his eyes. Baselton's elbow rammed his ribs, forcing him awake.

"Stop being a party-pooper. You're just like Lawala, always getting bored before the fun begins." Lopez shook his head, annoyed.

The vehicles continued onwards as the enormous gates closed behind them.

**oOo **

Dodgson entered the visitor center and found Tim and Lex sitting on the bottom steps of the spiral staircase. The remaining brochures were stacked on the floor and Dodgson's body temperature jumped ten degrees higher than normal. The friendly salesman façade he had put on for Rossiter and Steingarten vanished as though it had never existed. Marching over to Tim and Lex, he kicked the stack of brochures and they fluttered across the floor.

"You two better—" He stopped when he saw Ellie and Malcolm walk down the stairs approaching them. He went back to the kids, pointing at the scattered brochures. "Leave them! Go over to the staff lodge and watch _Barney_, _The Land Before Time_, or some other kiddie shit. Just stay out of everyone's way!"

Tim and Lex stood up, saying nothing. Dodgson started towards Hammond's office, annoyed. By now Malcolm and Ellie had made it to the bottom of the staircase. Malcolm put his hand on Tim's shoulder and acted as though Dodgson were a mannequin made entirely of wax.

"Something's going down on the island tonight. Believe me when I say it's going to be downright unpredictable and chaotic. It's better that you stay where it's safe. Ellie and I will go with you and Lex to the staff lodge."

Dodgson spun around. "You know what, Dr. Malcolm? I'm tired of hearing your hocus-pocus chaos theory. As a matter of fact, I don't want you anywhere _near_ Mr. Rossiter and Mr. Steingarten during the entire time they're on the island."

Malcolm shrugged. "That's fine because I don't want to be near them either."

Dodgson pointed at the double doors. "Take the kids with you—I don't care where you take them or where you take Dr. Sattler. The faster you get out of my sight, the better you'll be. As far as I'm concerned, the four of you are fucking useless…well…" He licked his lips suggestively and glowered at Ellie. "One of you has good use."

Ellie's eyes lit up like lightning during a midnight thunderstorm. "Rot. In. Hell," she whispered.

"Don't pout, Dr. Sattler, it's unattractive." Dodgson smirked. "You guys can go to the staff lodge and stay there the entire time. Just disappear. Pretend you don't exist."

"Don't come asking for our help when everything goes wrong," Malcolm said. "In all the years that I've predicted anything about this park, I've always been right."

Dodgson laughed loudly. "Trust me, _nothing_ will go wrong. This will be the first time you fail at your predictions, Dr. Malcolm. It's the beginning of a new era. Out with the old—that would be InGen, and in with the new, Biosyn of course. In the meantime…" he sneered again at Ellie. "Man up and go reclaim your bitch."

"Enjoy your brief reign." Malcolm started towards the double doors. Tim and Lex followed behind with Ellie accompanying them. "Your downfall is just around the corner. This time I won't be around to say 'I told you so'…I'll just congratulate you on a failure well done."

**oOo**

Minutes after going through Jurassic Park's massive gates, the visitors now entered into the first paddock's territory. Dense foliage and thick jungle surrounded them on both sides. Rossiter and Steingarten immediately noticed the high electrified fences.

"So what's the first dinosaur we're going to see?" Rossiter asked.

They passed by a painted sign reading _Dilophosaurus_ with the picture of the dinosaur's skull.

"Dilophosaurus," Wu said, "is a meat-eating carnivore and quite intriguing. We've made a lot of discoveries with this species in the short time we've had them here in Jurassic Park."

Steingarten was pressed up against the window of the Land Cruiser and glanced over his shoulder at Wu. "Such as?"

"Well…" Wu hesitated, slightly nervous about their reactions to what he said next. "They're poisonous."

Steingarten's eyebrows rose, but he nodded, his interest aroused. "I've never heard of a poisonous dinosaur; then again I don't study them too much."

"It was a surprise to the park staff, too, when an adult dilophosaur—"

"How big do they get?"

"About ten feet," Wu said, pointing outwards to the paddock. "If you look right now, they're by the fence giving us a little show."

True enough, two juvenile dilophosaurs, each one the height of four feet stood on the other side of the fence. Their leathery skin was pale yellowish-green and faint black stripes ran along their torsos. The Land Cruisers kept moving slowly on the road, giving the visitors a chance to observe the animals. From inside the vehicles, they could hear soft hooting.

"What's that strange noise they're making?" Steingarten asked. "It sounds like an owl hooting."

"They're unusual looking," Rossiter said. "I'm sure they would make a popular attraction when the park opens to the world."

They watched as the juveniles stayed near the fence, close enough to be seen by the visitors, but at a safe distance so they wouldn't receive ten-thousand volts of electricity shooting through their bodies.

"Those are the juveniles," Wu said. "The adults are quite large."

Just as he finished saying "large," three adult dilophosaurs appeared, towering over the tiny juveniles. The adults stared straight at the visitors in the Land Cruisers. Their black eyes were shiny and unblinking.

"Wow," Steingarten whispered. "How tall are they?"

"The adults are at least ten feet in height," Wu said, glancing at his shocked expression.

"Amazing," Rossiter said.

Wu felt thrilled by their amazed reactions to the dilophosaurs. "Amazed" was an understatement. He had dreamed of this moment ever since he started working for Hammond. And now it was finally happening.

"The adults are far more intimidating than the juveniles," he said, proudly. "They're not adorable—they're lethal."

**oOo**

In the control room, Lawala stared at the group of dilophosaurs on the computer monitor. Two juveniles stood next to the fence, and a third one joined them. Close behind were three adult dilophosaurs, each one standing ten feet high. He frowned when he heard Rossiter comment about the smaller ones being cute like household pets_. They're naïve, _Lawala thought, annoyed by their ridiculous suggestions.

"Imagine how much money Biosyn would make, if we were to engineer them as family friendly animals," Rossiter said. "We'd rake in mountains of cash."

"Kids would love them as cuddly pets," Steingarten said.

_They're anything but cuddly and adorable, _Lawala, thought.

Another voice joined their conversation. It was Lopez. His image didn't show up on the video monitors in the control room, but everyone heard the passion in his voice, loud and clear.

"These fascinating creatures that spit blinding poison—it's a toxic chemical that looks like tar."

Steingarten asked Lopez through the radio between the vehicles how he knew this, even though Wu had mentioned it earlier.

"We've studied them when placing prey in the enclosure." Lopez had a smug note in his voice.

Lawala shook his head, annoyed.

"What's your problem?" Tembo shot at him.

Lawala didn't answer and left the control room, slamming the door behind him.

"Ignorance begets ignorance." Nedry chuckled.

Tembo turned to him. "Who are you talking to?"

Nedry adjusted his headset. "Myself. The wall. The mouse caught on the sticky trap. Definitely not you."

"Is he coming back?" Dodgson asked, referring to Lawala.

No one answered his question. Lawala returned minutes later and took a seat in the far corner of the control room, near Nedry's workstation.

On the monitor, an adult dilophosaur hissed and growled at the jeeps, baring its sharp teeth. The v-shaped red crests had caught the guests' attention.

"What are those for?" they heard Rossiter ask.

"They may've been used to distinguish males from females," Lopez said.

There was garbled static followed by slight hissing.

"Dr. Bones has an answer for everything," Nedry said. He turned to Lawala. "You should be impressed, George."

The park staff watched on the monitors as the tour vehicles left the dilophosaur paddock and continued onwards.

**oOo**

After witnessing the congregation of dilophosaurs, the tour vehicles made a slight turn and curved onto the next enclosure housing the park's triceratops population. At first it was difficult to see them. The dust and dirt that kept getting kicked into the air, forming a thick screen they had to squint through. Everything settled and they saw five adults marching towards the fence. Three juveniles stayed in front of the adults; their three horns were not fully grown and looked like protruding stubs of bone.

"They're stampeding," Lopez said, broadcasting pride in his voice. "Notice how they kept the babies in the front of the group."

"Interesting," Baselton said.

"You see the frill—that's a solid plate of bone. Paleontologists have speculated that the bony plate helped regulate their body temperature."

"How did they come up with that?"

"Traces of blood vessels have been found in the frill. I'd like to do more research on triceratops; they're the largest ceratopsian known so far."

"Ceratopsian?"

"Yes, ceratopsians are horned ornithischian dinosaurs—ornithischians are plant-eating dinosaurs. The name 'ornithischian' basically means 'bird-hipped'."

"Can you elaborate?" Baselton asked.

"Certainly. In ornithischian dinosaurs—such as triceratops—the pubis points back and down parallel to the ischium, which is a bone in the pelvis. The ischium supports the muscles of the legs and tail. The pubis is another bone of the pelvis. It's all about bone structure, which paleontologists rely on when researching and studying dinosaurs."

"Jurassic Park has changed that. Now you can study a live specimen," Baselton pointed out.

"I intend to do exactly that," Lopez said. "So did you learn anything from my lecture about bone structure and how it relates to the classification of dinosaurs, Howard?"

King tinkered with his cell-phone and Lopez was tempted to snatch it from him and throw it against the electrified fence. _Let his stupid phone sizzle, _Lopez thought.

"You're no fun. At least you can pretend to enjoy the tour."

King tuned out Lopez and continued to play with his cell-phone. He didn't have to see the dinosaurs in Jurassic Park sixty-five million times in order to enjoy them. That was Lopez. He said nothing, in an attempt to keep the peace. The last thing Dodgson needed was an argument between his employees during the tour. When he was ready to show enthusiasm for the park and its inhabitants, it wouldn't be because a paleontologist was breathing down his neck, demanding his appreciation.

"Don't worry about him," Baselton said. "You can't make him experience wonder."

"Agreed," Lopez said.

King shrugged in response.

In the second car, Rossiter and Steingarten were unsatisfied with the tour—only because they felt the vehicles were too confining.

"Can we leave the jeeps for a little while to see them up close?" Steingarten asked.

"No," Wu said, "The tour is designed to work like a ride. You have to stay in the car. It's for your safety and so that the animals won't be alarmed."

A huge triceratops came within inches of the fence. It breathed heavily, the stomach expanding and compressing. The dinosaur stared at them, her eyes beady and focused. It stepped away from the fence and then came forward again. Steingarten noticed the dinosaur walk along the other side of the fence, following the jeep from within the paddock.

"The red stripes on the jeeps keep them at bay," Wu said. "We have them on the gas-powered jeeps that the park staff uses."

"Are you sure it's not the fence?" Rossiter asks.

"Positive."

Rossiter nodded, amazed at the triceratops that ambled along on the other side of the fence. He noticed the reddish-brown pebbled skin of the dinosaur—just as he had always imagined it. It was one thing to see artwork depicting triceratops and another thing to see the actual dinosaur in person—it was _breathtaking_. Soon they left the paddock behind and the marching of the triceratops became softer.

"Thank God for that electrified fence," Rossiter said, as the Land Cruisers continued onward.

**oOo**

"_Thank God for that electrified fence,_" they heard Rossiter's voice in the control room.

Muldoon and Arnold exchanged a glance across the control room at his words. They couldn't speak aloud what they were thinking. Dodgson was exhilarated that Rossiter and Steingarten were enjoying the tour so far.

"The animals came out to see their audience, isn't that sweet?" Dodgson asked. "None of the animals are sick and dying, and they're all waiting by the fence, eager to see their guests."

Harding flinched at the mention of the animals being sick and dying. He remembered on the first tour that he had been working on a sick triceratops when Grant and the rest of the visitors had stopped by to see what he was doing. Two weeks later, the triceratops was back on its feet, good as new and quite healthy.

This time around, Harding knew Dodgson made that comment to get under his skin. Around the time when Malcolm and Lex had put their plan into motion, a maiasaura and a triceratops had died. There was nothing that could be done to help either animal. Harding had tried to figure out what was wrong with the maiasaura, but she had died anyway, and that same evening a triceratops died. Dodgson gave him absolute hell for both dinosaurs and Harding had never found out the cause of death, although he suspected the Biosyn team was behind it. He supposed he should be happy that the triceratops' were up and marching around in the paddock. At least it showed they were in good health. Harding kept his focus on the monitors and watched the Land Cruisers move onward to the next paddock.

Nedry took off his headset and set it next to his keyboard. "I have to go to the vending machine," he said, pushing away from his desk. "I'll be right back."

Tembo came over to his workstation. "You don't have to go anywhere," he snapped. "Sit down."

"I'm serious."

"What do you want at the vending machine?

"Something salty. I promise I'm coming right back."

Tembo was about to respond when Arnold shouted across the control room.

"NO!"

Nedry glanced at Arnold, puzzled. "You want anything?"

Arnold shook his head, violently. "You can't leave."

"But I'm coming back."

"We need you here."

"I thought you didn't want me around."

"I said you can't leave!" Arnold insisted. He massaged his temples, exhausted from the stress weighing down on him. "What part of 'no' don't you understand? You need—"

"ENOUGH!" Tembo announced, interrupting him. "I'll handle this."

Nedry glanced at Arnold and then turned back to Tembo. "I have to use the bathroom."

"Wait a minute. First, you say you have to go to the vending machine; now you're saying you have to use the bathroom. Which one is it, Dennis?"

"Both. I have to go badly." Nedry started towards the door and Tembo blocked him.

"You're not going anywhere." He pointed at Nedry's console. "Go sit down—now!"

"I'll piss on your leg and tell you it's raining if you don't let me out."

"You'll be shot pretty bad if you don't sit down and shut up." Tembo raised his elephant rifle to Nedry's chest.

Nedry hesitated for a second before swinging the rifle away from him. "This is ridiculous; I shouldn't have to ask your permission to use the bathroom."

Tembo sneered. "You had to ask when you were incarcerated."

"I had a toilet in my cell."

"So what did you do? Piss in front of your cellmates?"

"I had the cell to myself…but since you're really curious about it…" Nedry grinned. "Some inmates hurled their feces at the CO's. CO stands for correction officer, in case you didn't know."

Tembo's sneer disappeared. He was obviously disgusted by what Nedry told him. Their voices had escalated, attracting everyone's attention in the control room. Arnold and Muldoon watched them. Harding pretended to be occupied by the images on the monitor, but he was definitely listening to their quarrel that had taken on a grotesque note. Sonya shook her head as if to say "_that's stupid Dennis for you"_. Nedry's voice broke him out of his initial shock.

"Am I going to have to do the same to you?"

Tembo glared at Nedry and kept his voice even. "Go. Sit. Down."

"Don't get me wrong, I never flung my shit at a CO, but there's a first time for everything."

Dodgson stomped over to them, clearly annoyed by their conversation. "What the hell's going on?"

"I have to take a piss, Lew, and he's not letting me," Nedry said.

Dodgson stared at Nedry for awhile and then at Tembo. Finally, he shrugged and went back to the video monitors. "Let him go," he said, not turning around.

Tembo's eyes widened as a mixture of shock and anger churned inside him. _Dodgson can't be serious!_ Tembo wanted to shout at Dodgson for his stupidity, but the words never left his mouth. He just kept repeating the phrase in his mind that Dodgson couldn't be serious, and that he really had softened up. _He's taking everything for granted—not that he'll listen to what I or anyone tells him. _

He then turned towards Nedry, who had the most irksome grin on his face that showed how happy he was to get over on Dodgson. _I'd love to wipe that stupid grin off your face. _Tembo had a keen feeling that Nedry was up to something, but he couldn't put his finger on it. He didn't understand why Dodgson was so lenient. Tembo looked around the control room again and saw Sonya and Lawala staring at him. Sonya glared at Nedry and Lawala turned away as though he had found something more interesting to do. _No one's on the same page here,_ Tembo thought, fuming. The sound of knocking ripped Tembo from his thoughts.

Nedry pointed at the door and smirked, knowing he won the battle. With a menacing scowl on his face, Tembo stepped out of Nedry's way, allowing him to leave the control room.

**oOo**

Excitement bubbled from Steingarten and Rossiter as the tour continued.

"I'm sure we'll be able to acquire the rights to InGen sooner than we think," Steingarten said as they slowly passed the electrified fences and green jungle. "When we do, how much do you think we should charge visitors?"

"You mean an admission fee?" Rossiter asked.

"Yes."

"We can charge anything we like. People _will_ pay to see this park. Two thousand dollars per day…even ten thousand dollars per day."

"Per day? I was thinking more along the lines of a set admission fee," Steingarten said.

Rossiter leaned back in the leather interior of the Land Cruiser. "'Per day' is if they stay for more than one day, for example the span of a week. It's bound to happen. The super-rich will enjoy this park since they're the only ones who'll be able to afford it." He chuckled.

"We can have a coupon day!" They both laughed and continued to brainstorm ideas for the time when they would pillage InGen and control John Hammond's technological empire.

Wu sat up front in the driver's side, listening to them. He smiled brightly, pleased that the Biosyn higher-ups were enjoying the tour so far. They were considering taking the InGen project further than Hammond had ever planned, which in Wu's mind, was a wonderful thing. He wanted to participate in their conversation, but for now, he was content to listen to their ambitious plans. He glanced at Gennaro to see if he felt the same way. Right away, Wu knew that he didn't.

Gennaro sat up straight, tight-lipped and frowning. He kept his arms folded across his chest and stared outside the window at the passing jungles as they approached the next paddock. He tapped his foot impatiently as if he couldn't wait for the tour to be over. Wu noticed that Gennaro hadn't spoken a word the entire time during the tour. He didn't express delight as Steingarten and Rossiter had, probably because he had seen it all before. Even so, Wu knew that wasn't it. Maybe he was nervous about the inspection. Whatever it was, Wu decided he wouldn't let Gennaro's negative attitude rub off on him.

**oOo**

"This is fantastic!" Dodgson said, completely jubilant. "They're already considering purchasing the rights to this island and park and they haven't even gotten through half the tour yet!"

He strutted around the control room, drunk with pride.

"What did I tell you, Roland? Soon you won't even have to bother with him," Dodgson said, pointing at Muldoon. "You too, Sonya, you get first dibs on claiming a position on the island. George, you'll have a spot too. We can even get a real doctor for the animals and not some damn avian expert. Dinosaurs are reptiles, not birds."

Harding sent him a scathing glare, but didn't respond. Dodgson would've shut him down fast. It didn't matter as Dodgson wouldn't allow anyone to ruin his mood.

"As soon as they return from the tour—"

The lights blinked and then went off in the control room. The monitors went black and everyone was enveloped in darkness. There was a buzzing sound that grew louder and then completely stopped. It was as though a split second power outage occurred. Just as quickly the lights blinked on again along with the video monitors.

**oOo**

In the rear Land Cruiser, Lopez and Baselton enjoyed the park tour as though it were their first time visiting Jurassic Park. They peered outside the windows eagerly waiting to see each new dinosaur and listened to the information given by the tour guide, Richard Kiley. Even King showed some excitement now, which was strange considering he didn't show any interest before.

"You think they'll buy out InGen today?" Lopez asked.

Baselton nodded eagerly. Steingarten and Rossiter's entire conversation could be heard from their vehicle. So far, he _loved_—not liked—what he had overheard.

"Absolutely. I don't see why they wouldn't."

"Where are we going right now?" King asked.

Lopez opened the brochure Tim had given him earlier. "Let's see…" he glanced at it, and then pointed out the window at a sign with a round symbol. "I think we've arrived at the T-Rex paddock…I'm not sure though. Too bad Roland won't be around for this."

"He'll live," Baselton said, snorting. He pointed at the CD-ROM display in the Land Cruiser. "There we go; it says we're in the tyrannosaur territory. You were right, Raúl."

Lopez smirked. "I always am."

**oOo**

"Why did the lights go off?" Sonya asked. "That shouldn't have happened."

"Well, it did," Muldoon said, steely. "It happens from time to time."

"Since when?"

"Since this park was built."

"That doesn't answer my question. Why did the lights go out? The monitors did too, along with everything in this control room."

While Muldoon and Sonya squabbled in the background, Arnold pulled up close to his workstation when he saw the red blinking lights on his monitor.

"That's odd."

Dodgson was on his back as soon as he had finished saying 'odd'. "What does that mean?" He pointed at the red outline of a rectangle that blinked on Arnold's monitor.

Arnold knew damn well what that meant.

He gulped as anxiety drenched him. The red blinking meant a fence was offline and not operating with electricity, the way they were programmed to work. Arnold typed rapidly on his computer, searching to find out what was wrong with the fence. Maybe he could access the part of the program that involved the paddock fences to see if there was a minor glitch. It didn't seem likely he'd find anything wrong, since there wasn't a problem until now. Still, he knew he better do something before Dodgson did.

At the same moment, 1980s music blasted from Nedry's computer:

_Boom boom acka-lacka lacka boom  
Boom boom acka-lacka boom boom  
It was a night like this forty million years ago  
I lit a cigarette, picked up a monkey skull to go_

Arnold lit a cigarette at the same moment when the artist sang "_I lit a cigarette_" and quickly put it out in his ashtray. He recognized the song as "Walk the Dinosaur" by Was (Not Was) and remembered the park staff used to play it during the construction days. It was a silly song with whacky lyrics that was made into a dance years ago. The song kept playing and he glanced at it, eyebrows furrowed, totally confused. Behind him, Dodgson pointed at his monitor.

"You shouldn't be looking at Dennis' workstation. What's going on here?" Dodgson tapped the red blinking on Arnold's screen.

"That's the paddock's fence."

Dodgson sighed, impatient. "I know that, genius. I want to know why it's blinking like that. It shouldn't be doing that."

Arnold tried to keep his stress level down with what he said next. "It's just one fence for one paddock."

"It better not be the whole damn park."

"It's not."

**oOo**

The Land Cruisers slowly rolled forward to the next paddock and came to an abrupt stop.

"Finally," Steingarten said, "these damn jeeps have stopped so we can enjoy the animals. I can't stand the way they move so fast."

"Agreed," Rossiter said. "That'll be the first thing to change when we take over."

"They should redesign the entire system and make it so that you can observe the animals for a few minutes, and then move onto the next section. The other way around feels rushed."

Electrified fences standing over twenty feet in height guarded the dinosaur inside…who was nowhere to be seen.

"Is she going to come out?" Steingarten asked Wu.

Gennaro, arms still folded across his chest, turned towards the windows of the Land Cruiser and looked at the thick jungle within the paddock. It was the first time he had showed any interest in the tour.

"She should be out in a matter of minutes." Wu grinned. "She's our main tourist attraction."

Everyone kept their eyes glued inside the paddock, waiting for the tyrannosaur to make her grand appearance. They were so absorbed by the dinosaur they were expecting to see, that no one noticed when the CD-ROM shut off.

**oOo**

Arnold closed his eyes, not wanting to be the one to say it. The blinking on the computer meant only one thing. One thing he dreaded and he knew Muldoon shared this apprehension on a daily basis.

"The power's off."

"How do you know that?" Dodgson asked, still not understanding.

"I don't know; let me see if I can get in touch with the visitors."

Arnold quickly picked up the phone on his desk before Dodgson could say another word. He dialed an extension that he knew from memory, in order to reach the visitors in the park. He heard static and hissing. Arnold's heart withered inside his chest and he got up and searched around the control room. Harding pointed at a large video monitor at Nedry's workstation.

"They stopped," Harding said, quietly. "The jeeps are sitting there not moving."

"Oh hell…" Arnold groaned.

Dodgson looked from Arnold to Harding and back again to Arnold again. A note of worry—that was never heard in his tone, had slowly crept through.

"Where did the vehicles stop?"

* * *

**Author's Notes: ** Rest In Peace, Pete Postlethwaite. He died this past month, January 2011. The next chapter will be dedicated to him in honor of his amazing portrayal of Roland Tembo in The Lost World: Jurassic Park. This was suggested by a reader. Info regarding dinosaurs I found in my dinosaur book (the title escapes me) and also looking up info online. Any mistakes are my own. The song at the end is an actual song "Walk The Dinsoaur" by Was (Not Was).

**-Sassy Lil Scorpio**


	17. Ultimate Failure

**Ultimate Failure  
**

Henry Wu noticed something very strange.

The blue and red lights at the top of the electrified fences had stopped blinking. He didn't know when it had happened or for how long they had been turned off. All that mattered was that he noticed it now. Immense fear burned inside him even though he struggled to extinguish it.

"Oh. My. God."

"_Is this a part of the tour?_" He heard Howard King ask. His voice sounded squeaky over the radio between the cruisers.

Wu didn't answer. He kept staring up at the fence. He wasn't even aware that he had stopped breathing or that his body had temporarily froze out of sheer fright. Wu suddenly grabbed the door handle on his side. Not only were the fences off, but the tour vehicles had stopped right in front of the tyrannosaur paddock—the realization slammed him with a furious force that couldn't be ignored. Moments ago, Wu had tried contacting the control room; he would've sworn he heard Arnold's voice, but when he tried to talk into the radio, he only heard static and hissing.

"What's wrong?" Donald Gennaro asked.

"Nothing." His voice was strained and he licked his lips. They were dry as packaged paper.

"What part of the park are we in?" Jeff Rossiter asked. He leaned forward in the backseat. "Which paddock are we in front of? I thought the sign said _Tyrannosaurus Rex_."

_The absolute worst place to be stuck in front of if the power goes off, _Wu wanted to shout at him. He closed his eyes and swallowed the golf-ball lump in his throat. The golf-ball grew to the size of a baseball, and his terror choked him, so that he couldn't even mumble a syllable. There was no way this could be happening—NOT NOW—of all times—not during the inspection!

Wu yanked the door handle again. This time it attracted Gennaro's attention.

"What's wrong, Henry?"

Wu's eyes were glued to the fence and he forced himself to point upwards. He felt as though his arm was paralyzed and it took great strength to make that small gesture.

"What about it?"

Wu finally lost his composure. "_CAN'T YOU SEE IT WITH YOUR OWN EYES, YOU DAMN IDIOT? THE POWER'S OFF!_"

And from within the depths of the paddock, he heard a distinct rumbling that he knew wasn't thunder.

**oOo**

Dennis Nedry's computer continued to blast the eighties dance hit: _Walk the Dinosaur_.

_Open the door, get on the floor  
Everybody walk the dinosaur  
Open the door, get on the floor  
Everybody walk the dinosaur  
Open the door, get on the floor  
Everybody walk the dinosaur  
Open the door, get on the floor  
Everybody walk the dinosaur  
_

"Someone turn off that annoying shit!" Lewis Dodgson ordered.

Roland Tembo went to Nedry's console, trying to find the source of where the music was coming from. He sighed, frustrated. He wasn't computer literate and he had no idea what to do. Tembo pressed the keys and then smashed his fist on the keyboard.

"Let me see," Sonya Durant said, plopping down in Nedry's empty chair. She looked for the speakers and the more she did, it seemed the song increased in volume, probably because she was directly in front of the monitor. She got up and looked behind the computer, grabbing the tangled wires. "You know, we can just blow a hole through the screen and shut it down for good."

"NO!" Dodgson shouted across the control room. "DON'T TOUCH A FUCKING THING!"

**oOo**

Wu couldn't contain his fright anymore.

Yanking the door handle once more, he opened it—and realized he had locked himself in. He fiddled with the lock, while cursing under his breath. Wu savagely kicked it and the door flung open on its hinges. He jumped out and ran up the road to get far away from the paddock. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Raúl Lopez, George Baselton and Howard King in the second Land Cruiser, watching him, but not moving. They were a blur to Wu as his shoes hit the ground. He forced himself to focus on the road, to run around the curve—to go as far back as the triceratops paddock.

He could get there soon enough, but then he realized the grave error he had made in abandoning everyone in front of the tyrannosaur paddock. He was more alarmed when he realized he wasn't anywhere near the triceratops' paddock—he was near the stegosaurs—he had ran in the opposite direction to get away from the tyrannosaur that was close to breaking free from its enclosure.

**oOo**

Sonya and Tembo quickly backed away, giving Dodgson access to Nedry's computer.

"Be careful," Ray Arnold said, trying to keep the worry out of his voice. "Nedry's computer mothers all the programs for the park—"

"Shut up!" Dodgson growled. "Shut up before I kick the teeth out your face!"

Arnold immediately silenced and shrunk back in his chair. His eyes met Robert Muldoon's and Gerry Harding's. Harding shook his head, urging Arnold to stay quiet. Muldoon mouthed: _let him handle it; don't stress yourself out_. Arnold nodded. He turned back to his monitor and his heart tumbled to the floor with what he saw next.

**oOo**

Lopez was the first to get out of the Land Cruiser after Wu had left everyone behind. Looking up and down the road, he pointed ahead in the opposite direction from where they came from. He saw Wu run further into the park; it had happened so fast and Lopez hoped he was right to follow his gut instinct.

"COME ON!" he shouted. "We have to get out NOW! RIGHT NOW!"

Gennaro came out of the tour vehicle. Peter Steingarten and Rossiter followed him, bewildered by what was happening.

"What's going on?" Steingarten asked. "Why are we stranded like this? Where's the power?"

"There is no power!" Lopez said, trying to keep his tone steady. "We have to get out of here now!"

"And go where?" Rossiter asked. "We weren't—"

Before he could finish his thought, Lopez was back at the Land Cruiser he had been in earlier. Baselton stood nearby and gestured at the vehicle. Lopez knocked on the window where King sat inside, frozen and staring up at the fence.

"GET OUT OF THERE! NOW HOWARD!"

King didn't say anything. He only pointed at the fence. Lopez looked behind him and immediately his heart jammed itself in his throat.

The tyrannosaur was right there.

Behind the fence.

Watching and waiting.

The yellowish-green eye twitched in her socket.

Lopez knew she saw them.

_She_ knew they couldn't harm her.

Blended horror and a sickening amazement that left him feeling queasy drenched him now. Lopez watched as the tyrannosaur raised her small forearm that was tiny compared to rest of her monstrous body. She was about to touch the fence—and Lopez didn't want to stay around to see her get electrocuted—or worse, tear free from the enclosure. That snapped him into action—Lopez pulled the door open and King stumbled out.

"We have to get out of here!" Lopez shouted. "There's no time to waste!"

He heard background noise although it was really everyone asking him questions that he had no answers to.

"Where should we go?"

"What the hell!"

"Does this always happen?"

Lopez immediately took charge. He directed everyone's attention and pointed up the road. "We've gotta get there quick!"

"Where?" Gennaro asked, but Lopez was already running up the road in the same direction Wu had done so just minutes ago.

Without hesitation, Gennaro ran after Lopez. He could Steingarten and Rossiter running along side him. Baselton and King were straggling behind and something hit the ground. Gennaro stopped once and glanced over his shoulder. King's cell-phone lay in the middle of the road. King was halfway bent to retrieve when Gennaro shouted at him.

"Leave it! You can get another one!"

Gennaro kept running and followed Lopez who circled around a curve in the road. Behind him, he could hear the tyrannosaur bellowing, frustrated that the easy meal had escaped her grasp.

**oOo**

"What the hell is happening?" Frantic, Dodgson paced back and forth in the control room. "Where are they going? They can't leave the vehicles just like that!"

He stopped briefly to watch Arnold's video monitors that showed everyone running up the road. Wu had left minutes before. Next to him, Sonya shook her head in disbelief. She was as upset as Dodgson, but said nothing to reassure or calm him down. Nothing would've worked anyway; she already knew this from previous experience.

"I told you how many times we need locking mechanisms on the vehicle doors."

Dodgson pointed at Muldoon. "If you have nothing to say to help fix the situation, I suggest—no, I'm telling you: keep your smart-ass comments to yourself." His chest heaved up and down as he took slow deep breaths to maintain his temper. "That is the last warning you'll get from me, Mr. Muldoon."

Muldoon locked eyes with Dodgson. "Point well taken…_Doctor_ Dodgson," he said, purposely dragging out the title "doctor".

Dodgson was about to react when he heard tapping.

Arnold pointed at the screen.

The tyrannosaur gripped the fence's top wires. No sparks emitted. There was no crackling of electricity. No voltage zapped the tyrant lizard to remind her of the penalty for attempting to get past the man-made boundaries. Everyone watched, astonished, as the tyrannosaur gripped the fence's thick cable wires and snapped them one by one with her large claw. It sounded like the sharp cracking of a gigantic whip.

**oOo **

"So you were just going to leave us there?" Lopez shot at him. Gone was his friendly and enthusiastic façade. He wasn't the only one who was frustrated by the horrendous turn of events.

"Where the hell were you going?" Baselton asked. "We have visitors from Biosyn here and this is how you handle a crisis?"

Wu stood near the fence surrounding the stegosaur paddock. He was in the middle of the circle of men who hurled questions at him all at once. Once they had caught up to him, they had cornered him, refusing to allow him to leave again. Their voices overlapped each other, Lopez speaking louder than Gennaro, Baselton and King griping about how he abandoned them, and Rossiter and Steingarten expressing disapproval for how the park tour had turned out. To Wu, it was like being in the middle of a busy subway station. He only heard snippets of their questions; most of it was annoying noise to him. He justified his actions in his mind, telling himself he was going to return for them, but even he knew that wasn't true. Nothing he said would convince them that he hadn't meant to leave them behind at the tyrannosaur paddock, especially if he didn't believe it himself.

"Answer the question, Henry! What the hell happened back there?" That was Gennaro.

Wu exploded. "I DON'T KNOW!" He sighed and backed away, as they stared at him. "I HAVE NO ANSWERS!" He avoided eye contact with the rest of the group.

Lopez grabbed his shoulders, stopping him. "Don't move." Lopez looked above and around him and then at Wu with wide eyes. "Can you hear it?"

Wu shook his head. "No, there's—"

"Ssshh!"

And then they all heard it.

A loud booming sound like thunder sounded from further down the road accompanied by the screeching and echoing of the fence being torn down. King stared at the road and backed away. There was no lightning forking across the sky so that meant the sound of thunder was coming from only one source: the freed tyrannosaur.

"We don't have to worry," Wu said, grasping for anything to take the heat off of him. "The tyrannosaur is further down the road in another section of the park."

"That doesn't matter,' Baselton said. "How are we going to get back to the visitor center? We don't even know if they sent someone out here to get us."

"And who's going to take care of that animal?" Rossiter asked.

No one answered his question.

"We can get out of here and avoid the Rex if we move fast enough," Wu said. "We can go further up the road."

Lopez shook his head when he saw Rossiter and Steingarten act on Wu's suggestion. "Are you crazy? And where are you guys going? Don't move an inch!"

"Do you want to be the main entrée for her dinner tonight?"

Lopez glared at Wu for asking that question, but said nothing.

"Look, we have to do this. We can go further up; the stegosaur paddock is pretty large."

They heard the tyrannosaur's roars from two paddocks away. It was enough to get them moving. Following Wu, the group went further down the road to put distance between them and the tyrannosaur that would no doubt pursue the moveable feast if she spotted them.

**oOo **

In the control room, Tembo watched the monitor as the tyrannosaur tore through the maimed fences as though they were cotton sheets dangling in front of her.

"Roland."

Tembo turned to Dodgson at the mention of his name. He had an even tone now, as though he accepted what was happening. To those who didn't know Dodgson well, they would think he was coming to terms with the situation. Tembo knew by now Dodgson took that tone whenever he was on the verge of throwing a severe temper tantrum.

"Yes, Dr. Dodgson?"

"Go out there and take care of that Rex. Take care of business." Dodgson went on as though Lawala wasn't in the control room with them. "And take Lawala with you."

Tembo kept his eyes glued to the screen. The tyrannosaur bellowed now. Its terrific roar was soft on the video monitor in comparison to what it must actually sound like in the park. Tembo watched as the enormous jaws parted to bellow again. He paid careful attention to the teeth—those huge yellowish teeth, created in perfect proportion to the tyrannosaur's immense size. They must've been at least ten inches long and he could only imagine how quickly they sliced through flesh. Sharp teeth biting down on struggling prey, lifting it into the air only to fling it against a tree. Huge teeth ripping its prey to pieces. An arm here and a leg there. A torso thrown in the dirt. Tembo watched the Rex leave its paddock, happy to be free and hungry for anything that moved within her sight.

A fully grown tyrannosaur could swallow a man whole if it wanted to…

All at once, Tembo felt intrigued and amazed—and bloodthirsty. The golden opportunity that Dodgson presented to him was too good to pass up. Dodgson's words lingered in Tembo's mind. All this time, he wanted to hunt one down so he could slay it and put its head in his trophy room back home at Mombassa. Now he had permission to go into Jurassic Park and take the tyrant lizard down. His dream heightened and his imagination ran rampant as he watched the tyrannosaur stomp out of her paddock and onto the road where the visitors were minutes ago. The tyrannosaur wasn't just any easy game for him to hunt—it was formidable and enormous. She would be one hell of a challenge and Tembo thrived on challenges. He hadn't been come across such a monstrous and seemingly impossible task in years. The velociraptors that Dodgson had asked for were lame in comparison. The T-Rex was exceptional and that was an understatement.

Little was known about tyrannosaurus rex except for the speculations and theories made by paleontologists like Grant and Lopez. Tembo thought this was a fantastic opportunity to find out if certain theories were true about the Rex—such as its vision acuity. It was much better to observe the animal outside of the electrified fence because now she was out in the open and her true self. He thought about the beauty of the twisted situation. Thousands of people visited the Museum of Natural History in New York City every year to admire, gape and take pictures of the bones of what was once a magnificent beast. All they had were bones to appreciate, while Tembo had flesh and blood. _Those imbeciles are losing out, _Tembo thought, smirking. _Let those fools stare at bones—I have the real thing in front of me. _

"TEMBO!"

Dodgson threw the door open and gestured for him to come over.

"Go out there now and take care of it. I'll never be able to live this down. This is what you wanted. Go get your prize!"

Tembo nodded. The awe of watching the tyrannosaur and fantasizing about taking her down fogged up his brain.

"I can go; Dr. Dodgson, but I need back-up."

Tembo was determined to take down the Rex—but he wasn't foolish to think that he should—or could—totally corner her by himself.

He could've sworn he heard Muldoon shake his head in annoyance. Tembo looked over his shoulder. Muldoon stood against the wall staring back at him, his face expressionless. He wouldn't offer his aid. Tembo turned to Lawala who watched the monitor with little emotion. He wondered if Lawala was fascinated or simply didn't care about the visitors stranded in the park. Sensing that Dodgson and Tembo expected him to go out into the park, Lawala glanced at them.

"This is your time and your trophy," Lawala said. "I wouldn't rob you of this opportunity."

Tembo was furious at first, and then he realized he should appreciate this golden chance to shine. Forget Lawala. He'd take down the tyrannosaur and revel in the ultimate glory when he was able to rest his boot on her massive neck. Confidence bathed Tembo until he saw Muldoon walk towards him.

"I'll go. The rest of you stay here and see if you can keep track of the visitors."

Tembo sneered. "Don't presume to give anyone orders here, Robert Muldoon."

"I'll presume if I feel like it."

"In that case, presume that I'm in charge and that's final."

Dodgson spun around at them. "Enough of this shit—both of you! You need to get the hell out of this control room and TAKE DOWN THAT REX!"

Muldoon and Tembo glanced at each other. There was no compassion or understanding exchanged between them. They had huge task on their hands and they had no choice, but to do it. Muldoon and Tembo left the control room before Dodgson started shouting again. Muldoon practically ran down the spiral staircase to the first level of the visitor center with Tembo rushing to keep up with him. At the bottom of the staircase, Muldoon finally spoke to him.

"I'm going to the weapons room to take out what we need to bring down the Rex. You're going to the garage to get the jeep." Muldoon's eyes had taken on a cold steely glint. He was emotionally removing himself from the situation as he always did in a crisis such as this. "Meet me here in the lobby in no less than five minutes. From there, we'll head straight into the park and tranquilize Rexy. Are we clear?"

"Crystal."

"Good." Muldoon glanced above him, making sure that Dodgson wasn't around to hear their exchange. He might just slip out of the control room to ensure they were leaving the building to get the tyrannosaur. "Now that we've got that settled…you've got something that belongs to me. I want it back."

Tembo knew what he referred to and dug inside his pocket, scowling the entire time. He held up the ring of keys, the only set made for the entire island. Muldoon snatched his keys back and shoved them in his pocket. Tembo said nothing when the keys jingled.

"Change of plans," Muldoon said. "Meet me outside by the emergency bunker."

**oOo**

Alan Grant stood in the control room next to Harding. Nedry still hadn't returned from wherever he had disappeared to and consternation was breaking out in the control room. Dodgson paced back and forth, after ordering Grant to come from the cafeteria since the visitors were stranded out in the park. Grant waited patiently to see what would happen. Dodgson still paced back and forth and stopped to hover over Arnold and look at the screen to see if the visitors would show up. No one knew where they had gone. That did nothing to remedy the situation and now Dodgson approached him.

"Dr. Grant."

"Yes?"

"I wonder if you'd be kind enough to go into the park and pick up our guests and the park staff."

Grant knew he didn't have a choice. "Sure."

"You can pick them up in a gas-powered jeep. I hope you only have to make one trip." Grant started towards the door, when Dodgson asked: "Where the hell are Dr. Malcolm and Dr. Sattler when you need them?" Then to the rest of the staff in the control room: "Has anyone seen those two lovebirds?"

"Remember…you sent them away."

Dodgson glanced at Grant and then at Lawala and Sonya. They nodded, confirming Grant's answer.

"Right now, I want you to pick up everyone in the park—not our two game wardens, they're taking care of a loose tyrannosaur." He rubbed his forehead. "Shit, I can't believe that damn lizard got out of her paddock. Anyway…" he pointed at the control room's door. "Go now and pick them up. Remember, it's Mr. Rossiter, Mr. Steingarten, Mr. Gennaro, Dr. Lopez, and Dr. Wu…"

"Baselton and King," Grant finished for him, opening the door. "Got it."

"Good. Leave now."

He left the control room, thankful to be out of the oppressive space. He didn't look behind him as he wanted to forget about the last few minutes of being cooped up in there. Dodgson was extremely frightening to be around. Grant wasn't intimidated by him, but all the same, he didn't like him and hoped that he'd leave the island as soon as possible with his staff. He headed towards the spiral staircase leading downstairs to the first floor of the visitor center. Grant stopped when he heard his name called. He had been in a hurry and rushed past the vending machines—and Nedry.

"Dr. Grant?"

Grant stopped in his tracks. Nedry gestured him to come back. _The entire time he was here by the vending machines while Dodgson flipped out on Ray and Gerry?_ Grant thought, irritated. _What the hell?_ He slowly approached the vending machines.

"Got a few minutes to spare?" Nedry asked.

"Not really."

Nedry reached down and picked up a packet of Skittles. "So where're you off to? You're in a rush."

"I have to pick up the visitors." Grant spat out the last word. He hated saying it since he didn't view Jeff Rossiter or Peter Steingarten as visitors, considering their real purpose was to acquire InGen and Jurassic Park for Biosyn.

"Isn't that nice? Those poor souls stuck outside by the paddock. Must be scary for them."

Grant folded his arms, impatient. "I'm sure it is."

"You're probably wondering why I stopped you and where I went to."

"We're all curious."

"That's for me to know and you to find out…but really, there's no mystery." Nedry grinned, and then turned serious. "You know that there's a ship at the east dock tonight. Must be a coincidence, eh?"

"And?"

"And Lew would prefer that you drop off Biosyn's guests at the east dock."

"I strongly doubt that, Mr. Nedry."

"Call me 'Dennis'."

"Dennis." The name sounded weird to Grant, probably because he hadn't spoken to him much. He had only heard of his nefarious reputation through Hammond as well as Arnold's and Muldoon's testimonies at his trial more than two years ago. They briefly spoke in Costa Rica when Malcolm's and Lex's plan came into fruition. Other than that, Grant barely knew him. "I doubt that's what Dodgson wants."

"Trust me, he told me this earlier, but I think he forgot to tell you and everyone else. In case of an emergency—such as this—it's best to get the park's visitors off the island so that they won't be near the danger. After all, Lew doesn't want a lawsuit on his hands, especially if he's trying to obtain the rights to own Jurassic Park and Isla Nublar. You follow me, Dr. Grant?"

Grant's eyebrows furrowed together, puzzled. He had a feeling he knew what Nedry was up to, but he couldn't place his finger on it. He had to admit that he was very curious as to what Nedry was doing. He remembered Nedry stating that he had a plan to make things right on the island. Maybe this was part of his plan?

"Spare me five minutes of your time," Nedry said, stepping away from the vending machine, "and I promise it'll all work out in the end."

Hooked on the bait, Grant approached the man whose claim to fame was betraying International Genetics for Biosyn.

**oOo **

Muldoon drove quickly, racing past the paddocks and dense jungle. The sun was heading towards the horizon at a quick pace as though it couldn't bear to witness the events unfolding on the island. The day was coming to a close and night was approaching faster than usual. Thankfully, the sun hadn't completely set yet, but in a matter of hours, the island would be cloaked in darkness. It didn't matter to Muldoon if it were day or night, though he would've preferred day since it was easier to see.

The events had stumbled one right after the other: the park tour, Nedry's disappearance, and now the visitors were wandering around the island. To make matters worse, the tyrannosaur had broken free of her paddock. There had little time to ensure they took the Rex down; otherwise, she'd start wandering into whatever paddock she liked. That meant smaller dinosaurs would get killed, stampedes would occur, and the park would be totally upside-down. Muldoon didn't want it to come to that. Out of all the emergencies that the park had faced, this was the absolute worst.

Or rather, it was the second to worst incident, the first being Hammond's stroke after Nedry had released the raptors. _I'm going to wring his bloody neck when I see him again,_ Muldoon thought. No one would deliberately shut off the fences to the tyrannosaur's paddock. Arnold definitely wouldn't. He had no reason to, unless the fences needed a maintenance check by Muldoon and the park staff; and even then Arnold was always uncertain about shutting down any of the fences. Thanks to Nedry's fiddling with the computer systems—because in Muldoon's eyes, it didn't take a genius to figure out who was behind the shutdown—Muldoon and Tembo had to go into the park to remedy the problem he had caused. What made it worse was the fact that there were visitors on the island. Muldoon didn't care if the Biosyn higher-ups left and never came back. That would be totally fine. He was worried about anyone getting killed or seriously injured.

The only "positive" aspect about the situation was now Tembo was forced to go after the Rex. Muldoon remembered Nedry mentioning he always wanted to conquer the T-Rex. Not that Muldoon believed anything Nedry had said after he switched back to Biosyn again, but he had some satisfaction at seeing Tembo act overconfident about taking down the Rex. Muldoon had come to the conclusion that Tembo was truly arrogant—and he imagined how amazing it would be to witness the cocky poacher fight a fight that was too overwhelming for him. Maybe it would prove to be a humbling experience for him—or maybe not. Either way, Tembo could go after his trophy, as Lawala had eloquently phrased it. _This should be bloody fun,_ Muldoon thought.

"It's your turn to be a big shot," he told Tembo, who sat in the backseat preparing a rocket launcher. "Ready to go after Rexy?"

In the backseat, Tembo broke the canisters and tore open a package of thick needles. Muldoon had told him they would probably use the MORO-709 to take down the tyrannosaur. It was an incredibly strong animal tranquilizer and they were planning on using a heavy dosage, considering the how many tons the tyrannosaur weighed. Tembo stared at the needles, annoyed that they were using them to take down the Rex and mostly, about how the situation came about in the first place. He had other things in mind that he could use. His elephant gun rested on his knees and beside him on the backseat was a steel box labeled: DANGER! VETERNARIAN TRANQUILIZERS. In the distance, he could hear the tyrannosaur's bellowing. They must be close by.

"I've been ready for awhile now, Robert Muldoon," Tembo said, without looking up. "The question is: are _you _ready?"

Muldoon didn't answer as he slammed the brakes and stopped a hundred yards away from the tyrannosaur. He searched around the front passenger seat for his shotgun, as well as extra flares he had brought with him. He was feeling ambitious tonight, more so than usual.

"We'll see what you're made of, Roland."

"I know myself well enough, thank you."

"You didn't seem to keen back in the control room when Rexy first escaped her paddock."

Tembo's eyebrows rose. "When I hunt any animal, I hunt on my terms."

"The very philosophy I'd expect a poacher like you to have. You think the bloody Rex exists for _your_ terms."

"I wouldn't expect you to understand. You've been reduced to an ordinary zookeeper." Tembo met Muldoon's icy glare in the rearview mirror. "You know nothing about the thrill of the hunt. A pity, really."

Muldoon pointed ahead. Through the windshield, they saw the tyrannosaur standing in the middle of the road between the tour vehicles. They heard a loud metallic screech as the animal clawed at the first vehicle. It was an ear-piercing screech that punctuated the night air. The tyrannosaur was unbothered by the sound and continued to inspect the area. Using her snout, the tyrannosaur nudged at the Land Cruiser, trying to tip it over. The vehicle rocked back and forth and then she gave it a strong push, making it crash on its side. She bellowed into the night, frustrated.

"She looks occupied," Tembo said.

"She is. She's looking for the visitors that were there until they ran off."

"That much is obvious."

Muldoon ignored Tembo's condescending tone. "She was expecting to make a meal out of them. No such luck."

Tembo got out of the jeep and crept closer to the Rex to ensure he wouldn't miss her. The tyrannosaur stomped around in the road, obviously agitated that whatever meal she could've had minutes ago, had disappeared out of sight. Then she snorted and sniffed at something on the ground. Tembo heard a familiar musical ring-tone playing and then the tyrannosaur stomped on it, silencing it immediately. King's cell-phone.

Muldoon drove up beside him. "We're gonna get this over with—grab her attention."

Before Tembo could stop him, Muldoon honked the horn. Surprisingly, the tyrannosaur didn't respond. She moved onto the second Land Cruiser to see if there were any stray visitors that could fill her appetite.

"What are you doing?" Tembo spun around. "Are you trying to get us killed?"

Muldoon ignored him and slammed his palm on the horn again, making it blare out.

This time, the Rex turned in their direction.

Muldoon lit a flare and waved it around, the orange-yellowish light illuminating where they stood. Enthralled by the lit flare, the tyrannosaur advanced towards them. Muldoon threw the flare as far as he could. The huge hind legs crashed down on the earth. As the tyrannosaur closed the gap between them, Muldoon changed gears.

"NOW!" Muldoon shouted. "SHOOT HER NOW!

Squinting, Tembo pulled the trigger. In the night air, he could barely see the dart pierce into Rex's skin. For an instant, he was worried he had missed her, when her ferocious bellowing told him otherwise. He was fixing to shoot again, when he heard Muldoon shouting.

"WE HAVE NO TIME! GET IN!"

Tembo glanced at him and looked quickly over his shoulder. In the next second, the Rex was charging after them. Jumping in the front seat, Tembo threw his gun into the back. He was thrown against the side of the door when Muldoon floored the gas. They raced down the road with the tyrannosaur in hot pursuit.

**oOo**

"Where is he?" Dodgson growled.

A half hour had passed since the time Grant had left the control room to pick up Biosyn's visitors and the rest of the staff who had accompanied them on the park tour.

"I asked a question. And I want an answer. Where the fuck is Grant?"

Arnold looked up from his console, trying to stay calm although his heart started sprinting in his chest.

"He's still out there," he mumbled.

Arnold glanced around the control room and realized he was the only one who attempted to answer Dodgson's question. He didn't even know why he bothered. He didn't know where in the world Grant had gone. He could tell by the way Dodgson glared at him, that he was going to be blamed for everything, as though he knew what was taking place or had conspired to ruin the park tour. Arnold was completely in the dark. Not that it mattered to Dodgson.

"YOU!" Dodgson pointed at him.

Arnold typed idly on the keyboard, pretending to ignore him. Harding stared at the floor. Nedry whistled along to the song playing on his computer. He had returned minutes ago and hadn't lowered the volume on his computer. The song annoyed Arnold. It played over and over again like a haunted mantra. Lawala was nearby, not saying anything and Sonya smirked and pointed at Arnold, ready to join Dodgson in roasting him.

"You know what, Lew? I bet he knows exactly where Dr. Grant went. I bet he even knows what's going on."

Dodgson nodded. "Valid point, Sonya." He approached Arnold. "You're the reason the fences failed." He didn't pose it as a question, but made it certain that Arnold was behind the current fiasco. It was a bold statement. "You're meddling with the system on purpose. Don't even think for one _fucking _minute that you'll get away with this!"

Arnold's fingers trembled as he lit a cigarette. Dodgson swung his palm, knocking the lighter and half lit cigarette to the floor.

"How dare you do this…and then you have the damn nerve to have a smoke!"

Arnold kept his eyes on the lighter and cigarette on the floor, not wanting to look at Dodgson. Quickly, he grabbed the lighter and shoved it in the pocket of his lab coat. Dodgson smashed the cigarette under his shoe and glared at Arnold the whole time. Arnold folded and unfolded the collar of his lab coat. He had never felt terrified of anyone in his entire life, especially the way he felt frightened of Dodgson right now.

"I didn't do anything—I have no idea what happened."

"Don't lie. I _hate _liars."

"I wouldn't toy with the security systems like this!" Arnold turned to Nedry, who sat in the far corner of the control room, whistling. "Dennis."

"Yah?"

"You wouldn't have anything to do with this?"

"No sir, not me."

Arnold squinted at him.

"I have no idea what you're talking about." Nedry shrugged. "Why would I mess with the systems?"

"Because you've done it before."

Nedry gasped in exaggerated shock. "So now you're accusing me?"

"You're damn right I am. What did you do?"

"Not a thing, not a thing, not an itty bitty thing." Nedry winced when he heard a chair slam into the wall and crash to the floor. Harding scrambled away to avoid getting hit. "Ha-ha, Gerry's scared like a putty tat! Sorry Ray, I can't help you." He went back to whistling to the song playing on his computer.

"You—" Arnold started and quickly stopped when he saw Dodgson lift a _second _swiveling chair.

He was fixing to throw it at Arnold if he didn't get the answers he wanted.

"You know what…I don't have time for this bullshit." He set the chair down, and pointed at Arnold and then at the control room's door. "Sonya, take Mr. Arnold to my office. Get the answers out of him. If not, then deal him a little punishment."

"What type of punishment, Dr. Dodgson?" She went to the entrance and opened the door. "C'mon, Mr. Arnold."

"You decide—but don't you dare let him come out until he tells you what he did to fuck up the system. I mean it. I've had enough of InGen sabotaging Biosyn and thinking they can get away with it."

Arnold pushed away from his desk and slowly stood up. Dodgson had obviously forgotten about Grant in the park, or so it appeared. Now he was the main focus of Dodgson's rage.

"George, go with Sonya and escort him to the emergency bunker."

"I thought you said your office," Lawala said.

"I change my mind. I'm allowed to change my mind, aren't I?"

"You are."

"Take him to the emergency bunker and don't let him out until he tells you what the fuck he did to the systems. We've got Biosyn's top men out there on the brink of approving the park, and now with this chain-smoking hacker's bullshit—" Dodgson pointed at Arnold, who stared back at him, dumbfounded, "—now with InGen cockblocking, it's not going to happen! I can't believe this. Get him out of my sight. I'm sick of seeing him."

Sonya and Lawala were halfway out the control room when Nedry spoke up.

"He might've messed with the keystroke component of the program, Dr. Dodgson. I'll look into it."

"Good," Dodgson said. You do that."

At the door, Arnold spun around and glared at Nedry when he heard him mention checking the keystrokes program. When Nedry had returned to the control room, nobody had even bothered to ask him where he had gone. It was the craziest thing in the world and Arnold couldn't believe it was happening. _He's in on this_, he thought furiously. _Why the hell is he doing this?_ He glanced at Harding, trying to communicate with him, but was stopped.

"Move, Mr. Arnold," Sonya ordered, pushing him through the doorway.

Arnold was escorted out the control room while Harding watched silently. He was about to follow them to the emergency bunker, when Dodgson stopped him.

"You're next, Dr. Harding. Don't even entertain the thought of following them. You stay put until we hear from Dr. Grant. Is that understood?"

Harding nodded, and turned away from Dodgson's hawk-like glare.

"Dennis. Do you understand?"

"Positive."

**oOo**

With the tyrannosaur only a hundred yards behind, Tembo realized his moment for glory was finally here. He lifted the huge rocket launcher and struggled to hold it in a steady grip. Muldoon kept flooring the gas and swerving on the road to avoid the tyrannosaur's large head. Gritting his teeth, Tembo aimed and fired at the immense leathery body. A terrific roar followed, straining his eardrums.

"Got her!"

Muldoon wouldn't let up. "Are you sure?"

"I know what I saw with my own eyes, Robert Muldoon. Stop the jeep."

Muldoon sped down the road, the tires screeched in protest. He glanced into the side mirror and the tyrannosaur was closer than ever before. _Objects in mirror are closer than they appear_ the side mirror read. The tyrannosaur roared and he could see the huge mouth open, revealing large sharp teeth. He pressed down hard on the gas pedal and twisted the steering wheel.

"Isn't that bloody nice?" He muttered, thinking of the mirror's words.

"Where are you going? We got her!"

"Shut up and keep shooting." Muldoon kept his eyes on the road as they sped past paddock after paddock, the electric fences blurred past him.

Moments later, the tyrannosaur turned away, staggering. Muldoon heard an enormous crash behind him. Glancing in the rearview mirror, he couldn't believe what he saw, and yet, he believed it. The tyrannosaur had collapsed on its side in the middle of the road. Taking in a deep breath, Muldoon turned the jeep around and headed back.

"Gotcha, you big bastard," Tembo said, chortling.

**oOo**

The tyrannosaur's bellowing grew softer as they moved along the stegosaur paddock.

"The Rex must've seen something that got her attention," Baselton said. "I wonder what it was."

It was the first time anyone had spoken since running away from the tyrannosaur paddock. The only sounds aside from their footsteps were the night life on the island waking up for the early evening. The sun was still setting, bathing the island in a red hazy glow. The group continued onward. They were lucky that the tyrannosaur hadn't walked up the park road. Or worse, wander in and out of whatever paddock she liked. Wu knew that was Muldoon's most pressing concern whenever any of the fences went off: some dinosaurs would trespass into another paddock, disrupting another population.

"Thankfully not us," Lopez snapped. "I can't believe this."

"You're not the only one."

"Dr. Dodgson's probably tearing everyone apart in the control room."

"We don't even know if they're—" Baselton started when Rossiter cut him off.

"There's a control room on this island?" He didn't hide the annoyance in his voice. "I would never have guessed that this so-called Jurassic Park has a control room."

Wu stopped and turned around to Rossiter. He could sense his defenses going up. Even though he now sided with Biosyn, he still felt obligated to defend InGen. After all, it was Hammond's company and it was InGen who created Jurassic Park in the first place. That included everything—the genetics, the technology, the computer programs…He took Rossiter's words as a kick between the legs.

"This island _does_ have a control room," Wu said, icily, "and the programs are monitored by InGen staff to control of the paddocks, maintain tracking of the animals in the park, and just about everything."

He resumed walking and was satisfied when he received silence in response. King broke the silence.

"Do we have to keep walking? We don't even know where we're going."

Wu stopped and turned around to glance at the group. Everyone was tired and looked as though they would drop to the ground and fall asleep in the road. Gennaro remained silent and Wu wished he'd say something. He was unnaturally quiet during the entire tour.

"Did they send anyone?" King persisted.

"I don't know," Wu said. "Did any of you radio the control room before leaving the jeep?"

"It would've been nice if you had thought of that," Lopez said.

Wu ignored him. "I'm sure Lew's sent someone out to pick us up."

"What do we do now?" Gennaro asked, finally speaking up.

"We wait."

**oOo**

Grant drove down the maintenance road, avoiding the escaped tyrannosaur. He heard its bellowing and could only imagine the grave task that Muldoon and Tembo had on their hands. Grant was thankful that Muldoon had told him awhile ago of a back road he could take to reach certain sections of the park in case of emergencies. There were more routes on the island than he had first realized. Everyone knew about the park road for tours and the maintenance road used by park staff. There were other back roads, shortcuts, and detours that the park staff used to gain access into the paddocks and various part of the island in less time. Based on that, Grant knew he couldn't be too far from where the visitors were stranded.

As he drove, Grant thought of Tim and Lex. He was glad they were in the staff lodge with Ellie and Malcolm, safe and far away from danger. There was no telling how Dodgson would take his rage out on Tim and Lex if they were around. The same applied to Malcolm and Ellie. Dodgson had given them enough trouble while he had been away in the States, and he hadn't been there to stop him. Now, Grant felt it was his obligation to do his part and help the park staff since he was loyal to InGen and most of all, Hammond. Of course, Dodgson figured Grant jumped to get the visitors because he told him to. It was partially that, and it was also that what Nedry had told Grant gave him hope. Things were going to turn around for InGen sooner than the park staff realized and Grant was exhilarated to do his part in shifting the momentum in their favor.

Grant made a sharp turn in the road that would bring him to the outer section of the paddocks. He went down a long and narrow road and was surrounded on all sides by dense foliage. At the end of the path, he made a right turn so that he was on the park's road and flicked on the high beams to determine which section of the park he was in. He had perfect timing as he spied a group of people standing nearby one of the electrified fences. The headlights hit a sign that read _Stegosaur Paddock_ and he sighed in relief: he found them.

They were huddled together in two groups: Wu, Lopez, Baselton, and King. Rossiter, Steingarten, and Gennaro. Grant pulled over and remained in the jeep. He thought they would rush at the vehicle, but instead, they stared at him, shocked that he had even arrived.

"Finally, someone shows up," he heard Gennaro mutter.

"Dr. Grant, we've been waiting forever for someone—_anyone_—to get us out of here," Lopez said, the first of the group to approach the jeep. "Dr. Dodgson sent you?"

Grant nodded. "He did."

"How long ago? It seems as if we've been out here for hours."

"I'm sorry about the wait."

"Do you know what happened?"

"An animal escaped from its paddock."

"I know that," Lopez said, irritated. "We followed Henry—he ran out first."

Lopez was the only one speaking for the group. Grant expected Rossiter or Steingarten to say something, even complain about waiting so long for someone to help. They hung back and kept silent; although it was obvious they were frustrated and confused by the twist of events. Grant noticed the glare Wu shot at Lopez for his comment about running away first. He thought of the phrase Nedry had used to describe what occurred. An inconvenient or "convenient" computer malfunction occurred, depending on how one viewed the situation.

"A computer malfunction," Grant said, keeping his tone neutral. "That's what happened."

"Bullshit—I know Dennis had everything to do with this," Lopez grumbled. Grant said nothing and waited patiently with his hands on the steering wheel. "So who are you taking first?"

"I only have enough for…" Grant looked over his shoulder at the backseat. "Three people. I'll have to make two trips to the visitor center. Who's coming first?"

No one spoke.

"Since no one wants to be the first to volunteer, I'll do it." Grant pointed at Rossiter and Steingarten. "You're the island's visitors so you get first priority."

Rossiter and Steingarten opened the doors of the jeep and got in the backseat. Wu, Baselton, and King waited on the road.

"Are they going to send anyone else for us?" Lopez asked.

"Nope, it's just me for now. I have an extra seat up front."

"I'll go with them," Gennaro said, getting in the jeep and sitting in the front passenger seat next to Grant. He ignored Lopez's glare and slipped the seat belt over him.

Grant turned the ignition key. "I'll be back as soon as I drop these guys at the visitor center. Everyone will be alright?"

Wu shrugged. "We should be fine. We'll just wait around this area. How long do you think it'll take for you to come back?"

"Ten to fifteen minutes at most. Give me a few, okay?"

Wu nodded and backed away from the jeep. Grant drove off. Beside him, Baselton shook his head in disbelief. Of all the nights for everything to go wrong, this was the worst night for it to happen. Chances were Dodgson had suffered a combined heart attack and stroke in between the time everything went wrong—the tour vehicles stopping in front of the T-Rex paddock and no one coming to get them until it was too late. They stood in the middle of the road and watched Grant's jeep get tinier as he drove further away. At least it wasn't night or raining. They had that much to be thankful for. Still, something wasn't right and Wu was about to say so when Lopez beat him to it.

"Something fishy going on. Can't you guys sense it?"

Baselton and King said nothing. They watched as Grant made a turn and then disappear with Gennaro, Rossiter and Steingarten.

**oOo **

Grant continued driving down the road and searched for a certain road sign that Nedry had told him to look out for. Five hundred yards later, he found it and made a sharp right turn. He could hear the rumbling of the ocean nearby. They weren't there yet, but they were close. In the rearview mirror, he saw Rossiter and Steingarten twisting and turning in their seats as they looked out to see where Grant was taking them.

"Dr. Grant…" Gennaro started, almost hesitating. "You're going the wrong way." He pointed in the opposite direction. "Shouldn't we be going_ that_ way?"  
Grant glanced briefly at him and pressed down on the gas pedal.

**oOo **

Lawala opened the door to the emergency bunker and gestured for Arnold to enter first. Arnold walked in, reluctantly and with his heart racing to the finish line. Sonya hurried past him. She grabbed a folding chair and opened it.

"Sit."

Arnold sat down. Since he couldn't smoke away the stress he was feeling, he opted for tapping his foot on the floor.

"STOP IT!" Sonya yelled.

Arnold stopped and kept his eyes on the floor.

Lawala stood by the doorway. "I'm leaving now. I brought him in, that's enough."

"We're supposed to punish him," Sonya said with glee.

"You mean interrogate him."

"Whichever, we can do both at the same time, you know?"

Lawala shrugged. Arnold looked up and noticed that Lawala appeared very detached from what was taking place. It was as though he didn't want to be involved, but forced himself to be there. He realized Lawala almost always appeared that way when it came to Biosyn's antics against InGen.

"He doesn't know where Grant is," Lawala said. "See, we're done. Simple as that."

"Why are you so half-assed?" Sonya went over to Lawala, leaving Arnold sitting in the middle of the bunker. "You were never like this before."

"You're not as observant as you think you are, Sonya." He turned to Arnold. "Everything will be fine."

"Why are you telling him that?" Sonya gestured wildly at Arnold as though he were a lump of slime. "He's _not_ gonna be okay if he doesn't tell us what happened. Stop playing mind games."

"I'm not."

"Then what are you doing?"

Lawala looked from Sonya to Arnold, and back to Sonya again. "I'm leaving you here with him. I'm sure you'll do a perfect job at getting the info from him." He left the bunker.

"What up with him?" she muttered as she shut the door behind him. Sonya glanced around the bunker and flipped on the light switch. "That's much better, right, Mr. Arnold? A little bit of light goes a long way." Grabbed a second folding chair leaning against the wall, Sonya placed it in front of Arnold and sat on it backwards, placing her legs on both sides as though seducing him with her clothes on. She whipped out a gun strapped to her thigh holster and aimed it at him. "Now it's just you and me. What did you do? Huh?"

There was a loud knocking from outside the emergency bunker.

Sonya sighed, annoyed. "He better not change his mind on and off. Either he helps me or he doesn't."

The knocking was insistent and it was obvious that the person wasn't going to leave unless they were allowed inside. Arnold watched as Sonya slipped the gun back into her holster. He stared at the ground again, trying to keep calm, when the door was thrown open.

"Oh, it's you," Sonya grumbled.

Arnold looked in that direction. Nedry kicked the door to the emergency bunker closed. Sonya scowled when she saw him approaching her and Arnold.

"What do you want, Dennis? Didn't Lew—"

"Shut up, little girl!" Nedry clasped her face with his left hand and shoved her away. "I'm here to see Ray. He and I are going to have a man-to-man chat. That means no ladies allowed."

Arnold reached in his pocket for a cigarette and his lighter. He stood up, hoping he could leave sooner than never.

"Pass me one, Ray," Nedry said as turned Sonya's chair around.

Arnold took out a second cigarette and Nedry snatched it eagerly.

"Sit down and get comfortable, we're going to be here for awhile."

Arnold sat down again, although he would've preferred to remain standing up. Nedry plopped down on the chair and leaned over.

"Light it." Arnold flicked his lighter and Nedry smiled, pleased. "So what happened?"

"I don't know."

"Yes, you do."

"I don't." Arnold folded his arms across his chest and looked past Nedry. Sonya sauntered around in the bunker, but didn't come near them.

"Now Ray, tell me what's going on. There's a huge lizard out there—a T-Rex. Roland and Robert are hunting it down. Wanna tell me how that happened?"

Arnold stared at Nedry like a serial killer having pinpointed his target. "I. Don't. Know."

"You can tell me, I won't go tattling to Lew." He pointed his thumb back at the pacing Sonya. "And she won't either. If she does, I'll slap her ass so hard she'll have to wear a diaper for a week to hide the bruise."

"Fuck you, Dennis," Sonya hissed.

"You're so nasty, Sonya, but if that's what you want..." Nedry winked.

"Ugh!" Sonya stomped over to them. "You obnoxious little jerk! I'm so friggin' tired of dealing with you!"

"Are you?"

"Yes! Damn it, Lew's so blind that he can't see you for the stupid traitor you are." She poked his chest.

"Well, that's Lew. As for you," Nedry bolted up and grabbed Sonya's arm with his left hand. "Get out of here!"

Nedry dragged her towards the door, threw it open, and shoved her outside the bunker. Arnold could hear Sonya shouting and cursing while she pounded her fists against the door. Nedry came back and smiled with delightful ease.

"Don't worry about her. I wouldn't really slap her ass 'cause I'm not the violent type. I respect ladies, but she's a bitch, and I prefer to differentiate between ladies and bitches. Perfect example: Ellie Sattler is a lady. Sonya Durant is a bitch. Huge difference as I'm sure you know. Sonya knows she's a bitch through and through just like I used to be a fat-ass slob back in the day. But really, she's not hurt, so you shouldn't look so depressed about it." Nedry took a drag on his cigarette. "Now where were we? Before we were rudely interrupted?"

Arnold didn't hide the steel in his voice. "The systems."

"Ah yes, the systems. Why did you fudge with the security systems like that? That's very dangerous, Ray. I expect much better from you."

Arnold clenched the cigarette between his teeth. "I didn't."

"It's not nice to lie."

"I'm not lying."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes."

"So if I run the Keychecks security program, I won't find anything fudgey?"

Arnold shook his head that began to pound with a merciless headache. He felt as though someone was banging his skull repeatedly with a hammer. Everything was frustrating him: Nedry's terminology of "fudging" the systems, when he really meant "you screwed it up," the fact that he was even here in the emergency bunker being interrogated by the same man who had betrayed them so many times that Arnold lost count. It infuriated him to no end and he didn't know how he was able to hold his temper in check. Arnold noticed Nedry struggling to hold the cigarette between his left fingers; obviously he was right-handed. He wished Biosyn had finished the job and smashed the fingers on Nedry's left hand.

"This is terrible, those poor visitors stuck outside by the T-Rex enclosure. Not a good thing at all. They might become dino chow and I'm sure they weren't counting on that when they came to visit the park." Nedry shook his head as though saddened by this very idea.

"Where did you go?" Arnold asked suddenly. He realized this scenario was too similar to the one that occurred when Grant, Ellie, Malcolm, Gennaro, and Hammond's grandchildren had visited the island for the first time to tour Jurassic Park.

"I went to the vending machine." Nedry dropped his cigarette and stomped it out. He reached into his pocket and took out a packet of Skittles. "Want some? Tropical flavor, my fave—"

"Where the hell did you go? What the hell did you do?" Arnold slowly rose from his chair as his rage escalated. He found himself becoming angry from today's events and the same one from years ago: both times Nedry had disappeared and chaos and confusion immediately followed.

"I already told you," Nedry said, calmly. "I went to the vending mach—"

"_Like fucking hell you did!_" Arnold picked up the folding chair he had sat on and threw it across the room. The chair collided against the wall. In the confines of the bunker, the collision was loud and frightening. He merely blinked when he realized he had imitated Dodgson's earlier actions. Arnold shook his head. He was only regretful that the chair didn't hit Nedry.

Outside, Sonya stopped yelling and pounding on the door. Nedry stood up and looked towards the door when he heard her stop. It was at the same moment the chair crashed into the wall.

"Calm down, Ray, it's not as serious as all that."

"_Where did you go that night all those years ago?_"

"We can discuss that when you take a deep breath and calm down."

Arnold shook his head, violently. "_I want to discuss it _now_!_"

"Since you insist." Nedry shrugged, completely composed in response to Arnold's outpouring anger. "I went to the east dock, delivered embryos to Dodgson's man, and then returned to the control room. I set everything back to normal that night and the tour finished the next day because of the storm. Don't you remember?"

Arnold took a deep breath. It seemed as though every drop of blood was being drained from his body. "Yes, I remember. I wish something else happened that night."

Nedry's eyebrows rose. "What's that?"

Arnold put out his cigarette under his shoe and leaned close to Nedry so that they were only an inch away from each other. When he spoke, his voice was choked with hatred.

"I wish you had been _killed_ that night. I wish you had died a slow, painful, and violent death…"

Arnold couldn't continue. Maybe it was because he was genuinely shocked at the venomous words coming out of his mouth. Or maybe it was because Nedry looked completely crushed. There was unmistakable pain in his facial expression. He looked as though he wanted to cry although he was too stunned to do so. He was obviously wounded by Arnold's words. _No, that's impossible_, Arnold thought. Nedry _never_ cried, felt remorse, or sympathy for anything he ever did. He regretted nothing and took pride in hurting others. At this point, Arnold didn't care what Muldoon had seen on Isla Sorna that made him think Nedry was a changed man. He turned his back on Nedry and made a tight fist.

When he looked up again, Nedry had shrunk back. Arnold was going to say something else. He didn't plan on retracting his words, not yet anyway. The heavy silence coming from Nedry was unnatural and very scary. Arnold felt he had to utter some phrase, even a crazy tongue twister, to break that strange silence. He opened his mouth to speak when Nedry beat him to it.

"I do what I have to do, as I've told Dr. Malcolm before," Nedry said, quietly. He slowly met Arnold's eyes. "As for your wish, you're in good company. Many have wished death on me and much worse. I've earned that, given all the crap I've put everyone through. It's not my time yet and I have things to take care of. Maybe that's why I'm still alive."

Nedry held Arnold's gaze. He eventually broke it, and started towards the exit. Arnold watched him leave, unable to respond. Nedry opened the door and Sonya stumbled inside as though she had been listening in the entire time.

"You son of a bitch!" She pounded her fists on his chest. "I'm getting Raúl to put a bullet in your brain before the night's over!"

Nedry looked thoughtful as he contemplated her words. Arnold watched as Sonya reached to slap Nedry and he snatched her wrist with his left hand. This time his grip was weak and she freed herself easily from him. Nedry leaned over and whispered something to her. Sonya stopped, turned towards Arnold, and then scurried out of the bunker. Nedry glanced over his shoulder at Arnold and then followed Sonya to wherever she went. Arnold went to the entrance of the bunker and saw them walking towards the visitor center. Sonya was already several yards ahead while Nedry trailed behind.

Finally, Arnold shut the door of the emergency bunker and leaned against it, emotionally exhausted and physically spent. He stood there for a long time taking deep breaths, his chest heaving up and down. Without warning and before he could stop them, unbidden tears streamed down his cheeks. Arnold wasn't the type to cry. He wasn't afraid to, he just never did. Smoking had always been a perfect outlet for him to handle his stress and anxiety without saying a word. He found that he couldn't smoke at this point even though his hand clutched his lighter tightly as though he were afraid to let it go. Silently, he cried for everything that had happened since the day he and Muldoon discovered Nedry's betrayal. He cried for Muldoon, for Hammond, for Ellie, for Grant, for Malcolm, for Tim and Lex, for Harding, and even for Wu and Gennaro. He cried for everyone in InGen.

And mostly, he cried for himself.

**oOo**

Dodgson remembered he had told Grant to pick up Rossiter and Steingarten and bring them back to the visitor center. The whole time he had been waiting in the control room, pacing back and forth, wondering when Nedry would come back from interrogating Arnold. Nedry had volunteered to help shortly after Sonya and Lawala left the control room. He had promised that he'd get down to the bottom of what exactly caused the system failure. Dodgson was thankful for Nedry's assistance, and he was expecting him to walk inside the control room with Arnold and spell out what happened.

Instead, the person knocking on the control room was Lawala. _If he's here, then where the hell is Sonya? _Dodgson scowled and let him in. Now it was him, Lawala, and Harding in the control room. It seemed that with each passing hour, another person disappeared from Dodgson's radar.

"I told that fucking paleontologist to pick up the guests and bring them here. Where the hell did he go?" Dodgson spoke through clenched teeth. "Did you see him, George?"

"Nope."

"What about Arnold? What happened with that?"

"Sonya took it upon herself to find out what happened."

"And?" Dodgson felt impatience gnawing away at his sanity. By the time the night was over, any sliver of sanity he had left would be thoroughly devoured.

"And I left her with him."

"What about Nedry? Did you run into him?"

Lawala shook his head.

"You know what—" Dodgson spun around, and caught Harding standing against the wall, watching them. "You! Call Dr. Grant right now and find out where he is!"

"I thought he was picking up the guests to bring them here," Harding said, quietly.

"I thought so too," Dodgson snarled. He snatched the phone at Arnold's console. "Call him now, or get him on walkie-talkie."

The phone at Nedry's console rang. Dodgson flew to his desk and snatched the phone, jamming it against his ear.

"Hello?"

Harding and Lawala watched Dodgson's face turn crimson.

"What the hell—you must be joking. You're a dead man, Dr. Grant," Dodgson spoke calmly and then his voice escalated. "Do you hear me? You're fucking worm-meat by the time I get down there! I swear I'm taking care of you—and the rest of Hammond's stupid staff! You'll be first—"

He slammed the phone down, missing the receiver the first time. The entire phone crashed to the floor. Dodgson grabbed it and threw it on the desk. He slammed down the receiver again, and made sure it was in place. He turned around to face Lawala and Harding, who stared at him as though gigantic red bees swarmed out of his ears.

"Well?" Dodgson sent each of them a stabbing glance. "What the hell are you standing there for? We have to get them while we can—they're about to run off the island on a fucking supply ship that's leaving from the east dock in less than a half hour. Dr. Grant left them there, stranded. Whose dream idea was that?"

Harding stared at the floor, refusing to allow Dodgson's antics to get the best of him. It was too late: he already had an expression on his face that was a mix of a sneer and a smirk.

"Since you think it's so funny, Dr. Harding, you'll drive me there. We're going right now, this very minute." Dodgson pointed at Lawala. "You're coming along to make sure our little animal-lover-vet doesn't get smart and decide to drop me off at the west dock."

**oOo**

Lawala sat in the backseat of the gas-powered jeep as Harding drove on the maintenance road with Dodgson on the front passenger side. He could tell from the way Harding drove that he wanted the night to be over. Even though Harding appeared to be smirking in front of Dodgson, he knew Dodgson's temper and what he was infuriated about was no laughing matter.

Lawala knew it just as well as Harding did, which is why he kept his thoughts to himself. He let his actions speak for him. If Dodgson was too slow, too ambitious, or too angry to pick up on what was truly going on with Lawala, then that was his problem. That's how Lawala saw viewed the situation since that day the dilophosaur attacked him. _He likes to think he's in control,_ Lawala thought, _but he's not. Far from it._ Dodgson wasn't the only one oblivious to what was going on.

Lawala observed from their first assignment that Tembo's ego blinded him to everything and everyone around him. He was too arrogant to realize that Lawala had turned his back on him. His refusal to help Tembo under the guise of "this is your time and your trophy" was subtle, but effective. It wasn't exactly subtle as the target was a tyrannosaur, but it wasn't as obvious as running away like Nedry had done. _Let him hunt her down since that's all he ever talked about._ As far as Lawala was concerned, conquering a T-Rex was the only reason Tembo still hung around the team. He wanted to feed his obese ego, so let him. If he got killed in the process, Lawala wouldn't feel an ounce of sadness. No tears would be shed, nor would there be any heartbreaking eulogies read in Tembo's memory—especially not from Lawala.

His thoughts shifted to the other members of the Biosyn team.

He didn't feel bad when Sonya complained to him about how she got kicked out the bunker after Nedry threatened to slap her butt. Lawala knew she thrived on any type of attention. She whined that he was being a "disgusting pig," but deep down inside she loved that he even said that to her. Nedry was all talk, but he had genuinely liked Sonya at one point and she had taken advantage of this. When Nedry wanted to be decent and show respect, he did a damn good job at it—almost as good as he was at being sarcastic. Sonya perceived any sign of Nedry being nice to her as weakness. Because of that, Lawala lost all respect for her. He joked with her too and said stupid things about her throwing like a girl, but he was like Nedry: he admired her quietly at first, and eventually grew to despise her, while Lopez and Tembo rushed to claim her. Sonya loved the attention they showered on her.

Then there was Lopez. Lawala hated him almost as much as Nedry did; only he wasn't as obvious. Lopez was a power-hungry Dodgson-stooge. Lawala remembered something Nedry had told him after he came back from seeing the dilophosaur on the boat: _if Dodgson took a mean pile of shit and told Lopez to eat it, he wouldn't be able to get a fork and plate fast enough._ Lawala chuckled at the thought. Harding glanced at him quizzically through the rearview mirror. Lawala went back to his solid expression, although he was close to hysterical laughter. Then he grew serious as he recalled watching Lopez that night in the cell—and he felt intense hatred for towards him. Lopez didn't care when he was blinded and helpless. It was all about his precious dinosaurs. When it came to showing the same respect for humans…Lawala shook his head at the thought of it. That very man beat up the man who helped Lawala…at one point, Lopez kept punching Nedry's face even after everyone had backed off. He wouldn't stop until Nedry was dead and six feet under. It was obvious that Lopez wanted to be number one on the team or, The Only One. _You can have your gold medal, Raúl. I'm not fighting over it._

Wu flitted through Lawala's mind. He had almost forgotten about him, probably because Wu was still new to the team. Wu tried too hard to be accepted. Initially, he had been wary of the Biosyn staff, but soon after, Lawala observed that he tried to fit in, especially that night in the jail. Lawala held the impression that Wu was confused about where he truly stood. Could he ever return to InGen? What if things didn't work out with Biosyn and it was too late to go back? Wu carried that baggage on his shoulders, it was his burden to bear, just as Nedry's burden of what happened to Muldoon and Hammond was his alone to carry. Because of it, Wu came off as stand-offish to the Biosyn team. Lopez admired him and Tembo still kept his distance. Sonya acted as though Wu was there to fawn over her. Overall, Lawala viewed Wu as an aloof and ambitious man. He was too focused on getting his name out there and being famous. _He's a fool,_ Lawala thought. He wouldn't tell Wu about Dodgson's dark side…he'd let him figure it out for himself.

Lawala was tired of Biosyn, tired of Dodgson, and tired of every damn person on the team. He couldn't stand to be in the same room with them anymore. He hated pretending to be aligned with them, especially when it meant harassing Harding or anyone from InGen. The day Lawala found Harding standing over the dead dinosaur; he had called Dodgson because that's what was expected of him. Lawala hated doing so, especially since it was Harding who helped to restore his sight after the incident with the dilophosaur. He chalked it up to playing the role he was expected to. Which is exactly what he was doing now: sitting in the gas-powered jeep and pretending to go along with Dodgson's plans.

One: find Grant.

Two: convince Steingarten and Rossiter to reconsider.

Three: make life for the InGen staff a living burning hell.

The dense jungle swept past them and he wondered if Harding had deliberately taken a longer route to delay Dodgson, so that by the time they arrived, Rossiter and Steingarten would've already left. Dodgson planned on convincing them to stay, but Lawala knew it was already a done deal, or so he hoped. It didn't matter to him.

When Dodgson had toldeveryone they were doing an on-site inspection of the park and that he wanted Nedry to begin developing the database, Lawala was more than happy to leave the cafeteria. He remembered wondering if he was good at covering up how he truly felt since he used to believe Sonya was cold and not one to reveal her real emotions. In time, he found out he did a better job than her.

Or at least, he tried to.

It was only now when they had been in the bunker with Arnold, that Sonya was finally catching on. That night in the jail, Dodgson caught his apathy briefly, but never spoke to him about it. He was too busy conquering InGen to worry about mutiny from within his own team. Besides, he had made an example out of Nedry so that if Lawala or anyone else had any thoughts about betraying him, the idea was dashed to fragments.

Nedry kept doing whatever he was doing and Lawala was glad about what was taking place on the island. He instinctively knew Nedry was behind it and now he remembered the time they were in the control room together after Dodgson's initial meeting about the inspection.

Nedry had kept quiet as he worked on the computer. Ever since that night in the jail, he had been silent around Lawala. The only time he had spoken to Lawala was to say "sorry" when he bumped into him in the hallway awhile was that brief time when Lawala gave Nedry cleaning up equipment after the disgusting situation in the cafeteria. Even after that, Nedry had thanked him, but still steered clear. Lawala knew Nedry trusted no one, especially since he had already betrayed everyone. It was time to end their silence, Lawala figured. Nedry had been typing with one hand, when Lawala finally broke the silence between them.

"I suppose it's a little late for an apology."

He remembered thinking Nedry would continue his silent treatment. To his surprise, Nedry had responded in an icy tone that was natural for him.

"You suppose correctly."

"I know I fucked you over."

"It's not nice to swear, George." He kept typing. Even with one hand, he was amazingly quick. The only sound aside from their quiet conversation was his rapid typing on the keyboard. "I'm sure you're as sorry as the rest of them. As sorry as the first time I got arrested."

At the time, Lawala stared at the ground. He had heard the bend in Nedry's voice and was about to respond when Nedry continued.

"But I got what I deserved, right? I got the living crap beaten out of me as if that's supposed to teach me to be loyal to Dodgson and the rest of you."

"Don't associate me with them."

"Why?" He had stopped typing and turned around in his swiveling chair. "Why aren't you like them? Why do you expect me to believe that?"

"Because I understand why you left."

Lawala had stopped there. He had wanted to go on and mention that he admired Nedry for taking a stand when no one else had followed or supported him. It took balls to go against Lewis Dodgson. Nobody had ever done it—and Lawala was certain that those who did never lived to talk about it.

"I know why you got out."

Nedry had ticked off the fingers on his intact left hand. "Let me tell you something. I screw over InGen, I go to Biosyn, I screw Biosyn over and go back to InGen, Biosyn screws me over, and InGen screws me over. In the end, Dennis learns to go his own way and swear allegiance to no one, but himself. You see a pattern here?"

Lawala nodded.

"So what do you want? You still wanna follow Lew?"

"I want out."

There. He said it. If Tembo or Lopez or Sonya or even Wu had overheard this conversation, Lawala would end up in the middle of a circle getting severely beaten and his body bruised and bloodied. He didn't want to go through what Nedry had experienced and he didn't have to say that. Nedry picked it up right away.

"You want to make a clean escape, huh? No penalty for thinking for yourself?"

Lawala had stayed silent, giving his consent.

"Alright…" Nedry sighed as he thought about it. "Tell you what…" he looked around, checking to make sure no one was around to hear him. "What I'm about to tell you is confidential information. Remember: you didn't hear it from me and we never had this conversation."

Nedry had informed him of what he could do. He told Lawala that he had options, and in the end, it boiled down to him choosing the right one for himself. From there, it was up to Lawala to make his decision.

Stay or Leave.

A simple choice that carried huge consequences. Lawala knew in his heart that he had made his decision ever since the day he and Muldoon had their brief reunion after his sight was restored.

**oOo **

Tembo stood next to the fallen tyrannosaur, the monstrous animal lay on her side, breathing deeply. His chest and lungs burned and he took deep breaths as his heartbeat slowed down. He was simply amazed at the sight of such a huge animal laying unconscious in front of him. The heart-hammering chase he and Muldoon just participated in was well worth the adrenaline rush as always. He heard footsteps approaching him and looked to his left. Muldoon stood nearby, checking his ammunition, tranquilizers, and firearms.

"Had enough excitement for one evening?" he asked.

Tembo nodded, still catching his breath. "More than my share; thank you very much."

"Let's go then."

Muldoon started towards the gas-powered jeep. He didn't look behind him at the fallen tyrannosaur.  
"I say we go back and check up on things in the control room." Tembo didn't respond and Muldoon continued. "We can radio them from the jeep."

He opened the front door of the jeep and clicked his radio. He didn't look up when he saw Tembo open the door on the passenger side. Tembo gingerly crawled in and laid his elephant rifle on his lap.

"You should toss out that old rifle; it's useless," Muldoon said tonelessly. Ignoring the glare Tembo shot in his direction, he tried again to work the radios. "Muldoon to Arnold: we got her down. Hello? Muldoon to Harding? Rexy is down. Over and out."

Static hissing was his only answer. Frustrated, Muldoon placed the radio on the dashboard.

"No one's answering. They're not in the control room."

Tembo didn't reply. Muldoon turned on the jeep and drove down the main road.

"What about her?" Tembo said, pointing with his thumb back to the fallen rex.

The animal's huge form grew smaller in the rearview mirror as Muldoon gained speed.

"We'll place her in the paddock later. She'll be out for quite awhile. I gave her a fairly large enough dose to keep her knocked out for the next four hours. That was after you got her the first time. By then we'll have placed her back in the enclosure."

Tembo nodded. "You've done this before I presume."

"Once before." Muldoon kept his gaze on the road. "It never gets easier."

Tembo stayed silent as Muldoon drove down the road. They passed by several paddocks and relished the silence. Tembo made it a point to double check the fences as they passed by the paddocks. The bulbs were blinking indicating running power. Ten thousand volts of electricity pulsed through the wires, keeping them safe. He wondered what happened that _only _the tyrannosaur paddock had blanked out. When he thought about it some more, Tembo realized it wasn't a coincidence. He'd have to hold that thought until later. On both sides of the road, the jungle life was awakening as night quickly approached. The sun was lower, streaking the sky a reddish-orange shade.

"Lovely sunset," Tembo said.

"That's my favorite part of the day on this bloody island." Muldoon continued to drive and maintained his distance from Tembo. "Pass me the radio again. I'm going to try Grant."

Tembo reached for the walkie-talkie when he dropped it. The radio hit the jeep's floor with a loud thud.

"Do you see what I'm seeing?"

Muldoon squinted. "I'll be damned."

Minutes later, the gas-powered jeep was parked in front of the stegosaur paddock and Muldoon and Tembo tried to figure out how Wu, Baselton, King, and Lopez had stayed there the entire time while the tyrannosaur reigned free from its paddock. They were fortunate that the tyrannosaur hadn't become overly curious and wandered up the road and went after them.

"Who are you waiting for?" Tembo asked. "What are you doing out here?"

"We're waiting for Dr. Grant," Lopez said. "He was supposed to pick us up. He said he'd be back."

"When was that?"

Lopez shrugged. "I dunno, about fifteen minutes ago."

"Where did he go?" Muldoon asked.

"He picked up Jeff Rossiter and Peter Steingarten," King said. "And he took Donald with him."

"I can see that. I asked you where he went."

King winced as though Muldoon had thrown stones at him and not words.

"To the visitor center, we don't know," Baselton threw in. "We've been waiting awhile now and he never showed up again."

"He was supposed to pick you up then?" Muldoon asked, just to be sure.

"Yes!" Wu said, exasperated. "He said he'd be right back."

Muldoon nodded and opened the back door of the gas-powered jeep. "If he isn't back by now, then I doubt he's going to show up."

"But how long does it take him to get from here to the visitor center and back?" Baselton asked. "It can't be _that _long, Can it?"

Muldoon thought about it. "I'd say twenty minutes or so. Anyway, I doubt he's coming back. Get in now. We'll find a way to fit everyone."

Baselton and Lopez glanced at Muldoon, refusing to budge. They looked to Tembo, hoping he'd be able to dream up a better way to get them out of the park.

"Roland, can you tell us what the hell's going on?" Lopez's voice rose slightly as his temper gave way. "I don't have to go if I don't want to."

Tembo opened his mouth to respond when Muldoon cut him off. "You're right, you don't. You have a choice. You can either get in, or you can walk back to the visitor center."

Tembo glared at Muldoon, a flash of incredulousness in his eyes. "There's no way that you're proposing that to them, Robert Muldoon. Don't even think for one second that Dodgson's—"

"That's my proposal; there's no other way. I'm not making four trips back and forth to individually chaperone them to the visitor center. This isn't a bloody escort service. They either get in the backseat or walk."

An awkward silence followed as they thought about what Muldoon told them. Obviously, Tembo had little bearing in what was taking place. He couldn't pull strings for them, nor could he do anything to intimidate Muldoon into doing otherwise.

Finally, King asked, "How far is it from here?"

"Far enough," Muldoon snapped. "Now what's it going to be? In or out?"

Baselton, Lopez, Wu, and King looked at each other, trying to decide as a group if it was wise to go in the jeep with Muldoon and Tembo.

"It's up to you," Muldoon said, coolly. "I don't have all day. Or rather, all night."

Wu, Baselton, King, and Lopez dragged themselves to the jeep and got into the backseat single file, scrunching into the small space that was really designed to fit two people. There was barely enough room to breathe. Muldoon got into the jeep again and Tembo went in on the passenger side. Muldoon skimmed their faces in the backseat and then turned on the jeep, pleased. Lopez looked furious as though he had missed the lottery by one unlucky number and King looked like he wanted to shrivel up. Baselton muttered under his breath, annoyed by the entire situation, and Wu bit his lip, trying to hold in his anger.

"And this wraps up your tour of Jurassic Park. Hang tight," Muldoon said, as he put the jeep in drive mode. He grinned when he saw the Tembo scowling.

In the backseat, he heard Wu whisper, "Dodgson's going to hear about this."

Muldoon had never felt more triumphant.

**oOo **

They arrived at the east dock as the day was coming to a close. By now the sky was painted a smooth shade of violet-blue and the sun had finally reached the horizon, ready to rest for the night. Before Harding brought the jeep to a complete stop, Dodgson ran out and headed for the supply boat. He rushed past Gennaro, who stood on the dock, looking stunned and thankful that someone had finally arrived. Grant was nowhere to be found and Steingarten was already boarding the supply boat with Rossiter following close behind.

"Wait! Where are you going?"

Dodgson ran to the edge of the dock where the ocean spread out before him. Waves lapped against the dock and a salty scent filled the air. Behind him, he heard Lawala and Harding approach Gennaro. On the boat, he saw Rossiter and Steingarten exchange a knowing glance. They communicated their annoyance in a silent manner that radiated to Dodgson and made him more desperate to find out what had happened. Mostly, he wanted them to get the hell off the boat and finish what they came to do: inspect and approve of Isla Nublar and Jurassic Park for Biosyn.

"Why are you here? You were supposed to be brought back to the visitor center." Dodgson pointed at the gas-powered jeep that Gennaro climbed in. "This was a huge mistake—"

"You're right, Lew," Rossiter, said coldly. "This was a huge mistake."

Dodgson blinked behind his tinted shades. "What was? You're not—"

"Coming here was a huge mistake," Steingarten confirmed. "We're leaving and not the way we came."

"How about that tour?" Dodgson gave an uneasy laugh. "It was going well, until we experienced an unexpected power failure."

"_You _didn't experience a damn thing—you weren't in the park when that animal was turned loose! This was your tour, Lew," Rossiter said, pointing at him, "and it was your responsibility to make sure everything ran smoothly."

"But it _was_ running smoothly!"

"'Was' is correct."

Dodgson bit his lip. He remembered hearing himself say that to his team awhile ago. Now those very words were repeated back to him from his own boss. How in the world was he going to talk his way out of this one? He could tell by Rossiter's furious glare that nothing would convince him to stay on the island for one more day. Steingarten was just as rigid in his stance and made it obvious that he wasn't on Dodgson's side.

He was alone in his predicament. Dodgson simmered with rage. His skin grew cold and goosebumps prickled his skin. He was physically reacting to the downward spiral of events. Everything had been going perfectly until someone from InGen—because it definitely wasn't one of his own—screwed it up. _Of course they would,_ he thought, _they want this island all for themselves…they're not willing to share..._ Someone was going to pay with a broken neck before the night was over. That much Dodgson knew. He promised himself that he would be the one to tear the neck off the perpetrator's shoulders. He had a feeling of who was behind the disaster…it was definitely more than one person. He would have to wait to later on. Patience was definitely not his virtue.

Dodgson thought quickly. He was excellent at coming up with things off the top of his head. Magical lines used to charm and manipulate people to bend at his will always came to him naturally. That was his special skill, his unique gift. Now his mind was a blank page and he was the writer hoping to break the writer's block. Then it came to him: maybe if he explained what happened…

"A member of the InGen staff tried to sabotage the outing," he heard himself saying and deep down inside, he knew he didn't sound convincing. But he had to try—he couldn't just let them walk off without finishing the tour! "I can assure you it won't happen again."

"You're damn right it won't." Steingarten snorted. "Because we're leaving right now and not coming back. This entire project of acquiring InGen was a humiliating failure. You failed, Lew." He boarded the boat and didn't turn back.

"I agree," Rossiter said. "Couldn't have said it better myself."

"Jeff, please reconsider." Dodgson took a deep breath. He hated begging and pleading. "If you and Mr. Steingarten decide to stay for the weekend, I promise to make it worth your time. We're regaining control of the situation."

"Until you regain control of your staff, don't even think of inviting me or anyone from Biosyn. Thank God no one else from the company was here for this. Do you know how embarrassing this failure is for Biosyn?"

"I understand, but let me explain."

Rossiter sent him a glare that said he didn't want to hear it.

Dodgson continued anyway. "Someone in the control room messed up. We're still untangling the details. We really have everything under control—"

"What in the world are you talking about?" By now, Rossiter spoke to Dodgson from behind the railing at the side of the vessel. He stood next to Steingarten, who shook his head in disapproval. "Control is what you need, Lew. You need to get tighter control of your staff. They're out there doing whatever the hell they like! We could've been killed today, thanks to them. Your Dr. Grant left us stranded here and told us to take the next boat out."

"And you believed him? You _actually_ believed him."

"Why wouldn't we? You sent him out to get us, didn't you?"

Dodgson nodded slowly. His fingers played with the collar of his business suit as he tried to avoid clenching his hands into tight fists. That gesture would surely give him away. Disguising his body language, especially when he was angry, was never Dodgson's strong suit. Still, he tried the best to appear calm as he fixed and unfixed the collar.

"I sent him into the park to bring you both back to the visitor center."

Rossiter stared blankly at Dodgson. At the same moment, the captain came out on the boat's deck.

"Wrap up your conversation or call him when we reach the mainland. We're pulling out; anchor's been brought up already. It'll take us two hours to get back to the mainland."

Rossiter nodded and turned back to Dodgson. "Do us a favor, Lew: don't bother showing up at the next board meeting."

Dodgson paled as the boat slowly departed from the east dock. "What are you saying?" He stepped forward and if he walked any further, he'd fall into the icy water. At this point, he didn't give a damn. "What are you talking about? I told you—"

"Don't show yourself. What happened here tonight is an embarrassment to Biosyn. I said this already—don't make me say it again. I'm sure InGen is laughing their asses off."

_I'm sure they are too,_ Dodgson thought. _They're going to pay—all of them. Heads are going to fucking rock and roll tonight. _"Don't show myself? Are you firing me?"

"I am…but I have time…" Rossiter's voice grew fainter as the boat picked up speed and drifted away. "By then, I'll have made up my mind. I just have to officiate it and get it down in writing. Don't show up, Lew, if you know what's good for you."

Dodgson watched them leave. His lips were slightly parted as he were about to respond, but the words never came out. The boat started towards Costa Rica under the soft moonlight. He stood frozen for several minutes. Behind him, he heard the gas-powered jeep rumble to life. He forgot that Lawala, Harding, and Gennaro were waiting for him. Dodgson's gaze remained focused on the boat that grew smaller as it headed out to the open waters. Steingarten's figure faded into the darkness until he couldn't see him anymore. He could see Rossiter's taller frame walking on the side of the boat and then he disappeared. Probably went to tell Steingarten that Dodgson wasn't welcome to the next board meeting and that they were planning on releasing him, since he managed to embarrass Biosyn and lose control of InGen.

In short, because he failed.

Failed…

Dodgson swallowed and his neck felt like a football was lodged in his throat. The football-sized lump remained as everything consumed him and tumbled inside his mind. He still couldn't believe that after all his careful planning, after all the time and effort he had put into getting InGen that it had gone down the drain within minutes. He still had the database that Nedry created to ensure that Biosyn was up-to-date with InGen. And he still held the papers that Gennaro had worked on. Those documents would literally hand the rights of InGen and Jurassic Park over to Biosyn.

It wasn't too late…

Dodgson turned around. In the darkness, he could barely make out Lawala and Harding standing outside by the jeep. Gennaro was already sitting on the passenger side. _Had he tried to stop Grant?_ Dodgson tossed the thought around in his mind. _Or did he just go along with it like a little pussy?_ _Probably the latter…fucking lawyers. _Lawala and Harding said nothing nor did they ask questions. Dodgson blinked. He would've sworn Harding was smirking, but in the darkness and with his vision blurring from pent-up anger, he couldn't tell for sure. He was certain of one thing:

It was time to head back…and hunt down that lovestruck paleontologist and chain-smoking engineer…

* * *

**Author's Note: **As suggested by readers, this chapter is dedicated to Pete Postlethwaite. He was amazing when he portrayed Roland Tembo in _The Lost World: Jurassic Park_. As always, thank you for staying with the story!

**-Sassy Lil Scorpio**


	18. Showdown at the Staff Lodge

**Showdown at the Staff Lodge**

Ray Arnold decided to head back to the staff lodge.

He had called there after leaving the emergency bunker and found out that Ellie Sattler and Ian Malcolm were still inside with Tim and Lex Murphy. They had stayed there during the entire tour. Alan Grant was with them, too. _That's strange,_ Arnold thought, but he was too exhausted to question it. Everything was already warped on the island, so what else was new? He remembered that Lewis Dodgson had sent Grant out to pick up the two Biosyn chairmen, Raúl Lopez, Henry Wu, Donald Gennaro, George Baselton, and Howard King. Grant didn't come back to the visitor center, but apparently he was at the staff lodge. _What exactly did he do?_ Arnold's curiosity was heightened and now he felt relieved as Grant, Ellie, and Malcolm met him in front of the staff lodge. Tim and Lex came outside and lingered nearby.

"So what happened?" Arnold asked. "I thought you were picking up those two nitwits."

"I did," Grant said. He flashed a confident smile. "And I dropped them off."

"Dropped them off where?"

"Where else? At the east dock."

Arnold stared in shock. "You're kidding me...you can't be serious."

Grant's smile vanished. "What's wrong?"

Arnold looked from Grant, to Ellie and Malcolm. "Don't you realize what you did? Do you two realize what he did?"

Ellie and Malcolm exchanged a cautious glance and then turned to Arnold, who wore the mask of fear as though it were his very own skin.

"Lew Dodgson's going to have our heads for this, Dr. Grant—"

"Call me 'Alan'…you know me and formalities don't mix."

Arnold couldn't speak—he didn't know how to respond. The only sounds around them were insects chirping in the night air. From the distance, he could hear the rumbling of a gas-powered jeep. It wasn't too far off. He looked over his shoulder. Any minute now Dodgson would show his face—because after he saw the control room was deserted, the staff lodge was the next place to find anyone from InGen.

"Oh no," Malcolm said, and Arnold thought he meant it sarcastically. "Did you actually drop those two off at the east dock?"

"I did," Grant said. "Why?"

"Who told you to?" Malcolm pressed.

"You just went and did that?" Ellie asked.

Now it was Grant's turn to be flustered. "So what if I did? What's the big deal? Dennis told me—"

"_Dennis_ is a liar through and through," Arnold interrupted. "Why doesn't anyone believe me when it comes to him? I keep telling everyone not to listen to anything he says! You actually listened to him?"

"He's trying to—" Grant started, but was quickly cut off again when Arnold made a chopping motion in the air.

"Don't _ever_ listen to anything that numbskull jerk tells you! He's all about himself and no one else." Arnold pointed at Tim and Lex who stood in the doorway of the staff lodge, listening to their heated conversation. "He'd kidnap Tim and Lex if he knew he'd get enough money for it. That's the only thing he cares about beside himself—money. He actually told you to drop them at the dock?"

Grant nodded. "He said to drop them off at the east dock and that it's what Dodgson wanted. He gave me a very thorough explanation. Trust me on this one; he knows what he's doing. He explained that—"

"There's no explanation for this. I can't believe he duped you."

Grant shook his head. "He didn't dupe any of us…he duped Bioysn."

Arnold stared at Grant, dumbfounded.

"He lied to you," Ellie said sympathetically, "he played you like a deck of cards. It's what he does best."

Arnold sighed in frustration. This couldn't be happening. Why did this always have to happen in Jurassic Park? Why couldn't there ever be peace? Why did he have to work with a two-faced liar who caused nothing but hell for InGen? The rumbling of the gas-powered jeep was louder and Arnold turned around in time to see Muldoon pull over a hundred feet away from the staff lodge.

Behind him, Ellie gasped, surprised. He saw why.

No one had ever packed the jeep to the capacity the way Robert Muldoon had it now. Roland Tembo was seated on the passenger side. Wu, Lopez, King, and Baselton were scrunched together side by side in the backseat with their arms pinned at their sides. They resembled packaged sardines, squeezed next to each other. Muldoon turned off the jeep and Tembo rushed out to where Arnold stood with Malcolm, Ellie, and Grant. At the same moment, Malcolm turned around to Tim and Lex.

"You two better go inside and watch some cartoons. We don't know what's about to go down."

"We'll stay, Dr. Malcolm," Tim said. Lex nodded.

"Go inside or at least go behind the door if you're going to stick around to watch the chaos unfold."

Lex opened the door to the staff lodge and Tim went inside with her. They closed the door and watched everyone gather in front of the open area. Lopez, Baselton, King, and Wu fanned out so that Arnold, Ellie, Grant, and Malcolm couldn't leave the staff lodge or go to the visitor center.

"So there you are," Tembo said, pointing at Arnold. "The rest of you—"

He was abruptly cut off when Sonya Durant came rushing over to him. Dennis Nedry trailed behind.

"Gang's all here," Sonya said, smirking. She turned around. "Stay back, Dennis, or I'm gonna send Roland after you."

"Send him," Nedry said, standing back.

"What the hell's going on?" Grant asked.

"That's what I'd like to know," Tembo said. "While the T-Rex kept Robert Muldoon and I busy, the rest of you sat here chatting the night away." He snorted. "I'd love to see what Dodgson has to say about this."

"You were supposed to pick them up?" Muldoon asked Grant, ignoring Tembo, and pointing at Wu, Baselton, King, and Lopez. "They said they were waiting a long time out in the park and you never showed up."

"Oops, I guess I forgot," Grant said in a loud voice. He didn't feel bad, especially when he saw the way Muldoon nodded in approval. "I meant to come back for you guys, but I got a little sidetracked."

Muldoon chuckled and then noticed the grave expression on Arnold's face. "What's wrong?"

Arnold pointed ahead. "That's what's wrong."

Everyone turned in the direction in which he pointed. Dodgson marched between Harding and Lawala with Gennaro trailing behind. Everyone had been so busy talking that they didn't hear the vehicle door slam shut when Harding arrived at the staff lodge.

Dodgson approached them, his gait determined and his demeanor furious. Every footstep he took brought him closer to the group clustered outside of the staff lodge. He was ready to dive headfirst and start the blame game. At this point, he didn't care what anyone did or didn't do. Everyone from InGen was going to pay dearly for screwing up his plans—especially Grant and Arnold.

"Thought that was pretty fucking funny, didn't you Dr. Grant?" Dodgson growled.

No one spoke. The silence of the night was stifling and were it not for the bright lights shining from the staff lodge, the entire crowd would've been cloaked in blackness.

"I asked a question," Dodgson said, breaking the silence. "And I expect an answer in return. You thought that was funny—dropping off two of my guys at the east dock, when I distinctly told you to bring them back to the visitor center."

All eyes turned to Grant to see how he would react to the human pressure cooker known as Lewis Dodgson. Grant simply shrugged and stared at Dodgson right back, as though he had nothing to fear. In his mind, he really didn't, so whatever Dodgson had planned for him, let him try his damned best to execute it because it was bound to fail.

"It was the funniest thing in the whole world," Grant replied. "As for your offer—" he spat a glob of spit at Dodgson's feet, "there's your answer in case you didn't get it the first time."

"Offer?" Arnold asked, thoroughly confused. "What offer?"

"_Doctor_ Dodgson thought he'd offer me a position on his team."

Arnold looked from Dodgson to Grant and back to Dodgson again. This man had absolutely no scruples. No shame at all. _He never quits,_ Arnold realized. At the same moment, Dodgson grinned maliciously.

"Your loss, _Doctor _Grant. Your expertise is wasted on a washed up company, but if that's what you choose…" Dodgson shrugged, amused.

Grant ignored him and pointed at Gennaro. "And for the record, Donald, I was going the right way."

Dodgson's threatening grin remained frozen on his face. The answer didn't satisfy him, or more so, Grant's fearless demeanor infuriated him. He wasn't able to intimidate Grant in front of everyone nor was he able to demean him as he had tried to earlier, by making him pose as a waiter for the park's visitors. Dodgson had really expected Grant to play the waiter role to the best of his ability. Let InGen's precious Dr. Grant wait on Biosyn's upper management. Now those guests were on their way to the Costa Rican mainland if they haven't reached the country already—and all because of Dr. Alan Fucking Grant. Dodgson fumed silently.

And he was still irate from Arnold's actions…he hadn't even begun to blast him out for turning off the electrified fences and ruining the tour. That move alone had put everyone in danger—both InGen's and Biosyn's employees lives were put in jeopardy with that careless gesture. And then he had the utter nerve to blame it on Nedry. _I'll fix you,_ Dodgson thought, glaring in his direction. _You and Dr. Grant. Watch and see…you just might end up like your pal Dennis Nedry._ Dodgson was still thinking of the most painful method he should use to punish them when his thoughts were rudely interrupted.

Lopez said, "Why are you blaming everything that happened tonight on Dr. Grant? It's obvious who's responsible."

"Who?"

Lopez pointed at Nedry, who stood alone near a palm tree, away from everyone else. Everyone turned to stare at Nedry. "Who else, but Dennis? He betrayed us once and he's doing it again—"

"Shut up, Raúl."

Lopez's face crumbled; he was genuinely shocked by the humiliating way he had been shot down. "But Dr. Dodgson—he's a liar! You know he is!"

"I am not," Nedry said.

Everyone watched Dodgson go over to Nedry. "You better not be lying to me, Dennis. We know what happens when you lie to me."

Nedry shook his head. "I swear I don't know—I mean I don't know what happened."

"Do you want your other fingers broken?"

"No."

"Then tell me what happened."

Arnold observed Nedry carefully, curious as to what he would say next. Nedry stood upright, not wavering even though Dodgson threatened physical harm against him. He wondered how Nedry mustered up the nerve to even work for a twisted psychopath like Dodgson. He remembered Malcolm describing Dodgson as a sociopath, but "psychopath" seemed to suit him better, or so Arnold thought. By now he was convinced that Nedry was just as much of a sociopath as Dodgson, especially the way he lied about everything and felt no remorse for any of his atrocious actions. He didn't even blink, much less show any sign of fear when Dodgson got in his face. Instead, Nedry's face was blank and revealed absolutely nothing. It chilled Arnold to the bone.

"I didn't do anything. I went to the vending machine to get my Skittles. When I came back everything was upside-down."

Dodgson nodded. "Point taken, you weren't in the control room when your computer started playing that lousy music."

"No."

"Why did the music play?"

Nedry shrugged. "I guess I programmed it to, but I didn't turn the fences off."

"It happened around the same time though."

Lopez stared at them, wondering why Dodgson bothered with Nedry. "He did it before he left the control room, Dr. Dodgson! He didn't have to be there to turn off the fences. He timed it just like the other times when we came here. He uses timed mechanisms. Ask him!"

Dodgson ignored him.

"I used to do that when we went on our assignments, but that's not what happened here," Nedry said slowly, eyeing Lopez. "It was probably just a bug in the system."

Lopez shook his head violently and went back to pleading his case. "Even now he's lying to you! Why can't you see it? He deliberately turned off the fences and tried to get us killed!"

"I did nothing of the sort."

"You dirty little traitor."

"He did it," Nedry said, pointing at Arnold. "I wasn't even in the control room when everything went down, but he was."

Dodgson turned in Arnold's direction.

Utter disbelief surged through Arnold, igniting his anger. _Shoot his head off, Robert— please shoot this bastard's head off. Right now._ When he looked away from Nedry, he saw Dodgson coming towards him and Grant. Harding and Gennaro hung back, watching everything. Lawala stayed behind and Nedry whistled, entertained by the entire spectacle. Malcolm and Ellie backed away so that only Muldoon was left standing with Grant and Arnold. Closer now, Dodgson took off his shades, his concrete gray eyes stabbing Arnold and Grant. Just when Dodgson was inches away, Arnold received the shock of his life when Dodgson grabbed Grant—and not him!

"What the bloody hell do you think you're doing?" Muldoon shouted.

Dodgson slammed Grant's back against the glass door of the staff lodge. "You think I'm playing around? That this is a game? You and Mr. Arnold cost me this trip!"

He kneed Grant in the groin, causing Grant to sputter in surprise. Dodgson brought up his knee quickly, and yanked Grant's face down. A loud crack sounded and Dodgson threw Grant against the door again. Behind the glass door, Tim and Lex jumped back when they blood spurting from Grant's nose. Muldoon bounded over and grabbed Dodgson off Grant, throwing him to the ground. Tembo rushed to help him, and instead collided with Dodgson. Before they had a chance to get up, Muldoon yanked open the door to the staff lodge.

"Whoa—look at all that blood," Tim said, amazed.

"Get out now!" Muldoon pointed ahead of him. "Go to your rooms—this isn't a game!"

Tim and Lex nodded and scurried away from the scene in front of the staff lodge. Muldoon had a feeling they'd go somewhere else in the staff lodge where they could watch everything, but not as close as the front entrance. When Muldoon turned around again, Dodgson was getting to his feet and Grant kicked him savagely in the stomach.

"_Don't ever put your hands on me again—_" he slammed his boot directly into Dodgson's jaw "_— or_ _so help me God, you won't leave this island in one piece!_"

Dodgson collapsed face first into the ground and Grant knelt down and grabbed his shoulders, holding him up for a moment, before punching him in the mouth. Dodgson staggered backwards, dizzy and surprised. He hadn't expected Grant to retaliate back. Apparently, he wasn't the quiet little paleontologist that John Hammond put so much faith in. Dodgson got to his feet, stumbling and swaying. The rest of his team, hung back watching everything.

"What are you standing around for? Do something!"

In the heat of his rage, Dodgson didn't realize he had half-muttered the order. No one heard him. He heard the door to the staff lodge open and shut and realized that Malcolm and Ellie had disappeared inside. _Probably to look after those whiny brats_,he thought. He closed his eyes and when he opened them again, he saw Tembo and Muldoon were racing over to him. Muldoon was ahead of him, and before he could open his mouth in protest, he saw a flurry of khakis and then felt himself thrown to the ground a second time. Dodgson lost his footing and a crunch loud enough to burn his ears sounded from below him. Then there was shouting.

"LAWALA! WU! KING! BASELTON! GENNARO! ALL OF YOU GET THE HELL OUT OF HERE, YOU'RE USELESS!"

It was Tembo.

Over the low humming in his head, Dodgson heard Tembo yelling at the team to leave the area since they weren't doing anything to help the situation. Slowly, they went to the staff lodge or trudged back to the visitor center. Lawala started off by himself in the direction of the park. Dodgson watched him. _Good, you should be ashamed._ Nearby, he heard a door open and slam close. It was the door to the staff lodge. Dodgson got in sitting position on the grass and watched as Tembo ushered everyone away—everyone he called by name. Grant stood off to the side, wiping his nose and taking in deep breaths as he recuperated from his sudden and unexpected outburst. When Dodgson looked up again, Malcolm stood over him.

"What do you want, Dr. Malcolm?"

Malcolm stared at him for a long time. Dodgson stared back and grinned wickedly. He wouldn't allow himself to be scared off by anyone—least of all, a doomsday prophet posing as a mathematician.

"I've never been one to kick a man when he's down," Malcolm said, and he swiftly stomped between Dodgson's legs. He smiled when he heard him cry out in pain. "I just wanted to say congratulations on a failure well done. I would talk to you about the butterfly effect and all that, but I'm quite sure you've had enough for today. And by the way, here's another one," he slammed his sneaker again, this time in Dodgson's stomach, "for all the times you disrespected Ellie." His voice trailed off as he backed away.

Dodgson fell over so that he was lying on his side, breathing in uneven gasps. Saliva dribbled out of his mouth and he was livid more than ever. That pathetic mathematician thought it'd be cute to kick him where it hurts and leave him drooling. Dodgson groaned and lay on his back so that he was staring at the night sky. He heard Malcolm walk back to the staff lodge and then closed his eyes, not wanting to see the rest of the night.

Everything had been a miserable humiliating failure—from Jeff Rossiter and Peter Steingarten abandoning the island, to Grant giving his medicine back to him. He had underestimated Grant and mistook his silence for weakness. He would never make that mistake again, not as long as he stayed on Isla Nublar. He hadn't even gotten to Arnold—Ray Arnold was a lucky bastard as far as Dodgson was concerned. He didn't even get half of what was coming to him…Dodgson allowed that thought to wither away. Right now, he wanted to disappear, but he knew that was impossible. He willed himself to get up. When he was finally on his two feet again, he felt sharp pains swarming around his ankle. He took a few steps and then realized what had happened when Muldoon threw him down to the ground.

Sprained or broken. One of those nasty injuries.

"Fuck."

Lopez, Sonya, and Tembo rushed over to help steady him as he took a few meager steps by himself. The pain was too great and he needed to sit down.

"We'll help you, Dr. Dodgson," Lopez said. "Dr. Harding—get here quick!"

Dodgson felt himself hoisted up as Sonya and Tembo got on either side of him and put his arms around their shoulders, giving him support. He stared at the ground even when he saw Harding's boots in front of him.

"You're helping him now," Lopez demanded. "You're not going anywhere until you help him."

Harding nodded. He was reluctant, but after everything that already happened tonight, he might as well help Dodgson before more nonsense occurred. He pointed in the direction of the visitor center.

"We'll get him set up."

"You better," Tembo demanded.

Harding didn't bother to answer as he led the way to the visitor center. He turned back once to the InGen staff who watched him as he led the Biosyn team. Harding shrugged and then continued on his way. Dodgson hopped on one foot between Sonya and Tembo. Lopez followed behind them and then turned around once to face Grant, Arnold, and Muldoon.

"Just so you know, tonight might be over, but there's still tomorrow," Lopez said. "So don't get your hopes up." He continued towards the visitor center, ignoring the glares sent in his direction.

"Thank God that's over," Grant said, watching them leave.

"What happened?" Muldoon asked. "You dropped those two guys off at the dock and Dodgson had a bloody aneurysm over it. Not that I'm complaining…but tell me, Dr Grant, were you in on that?"

Grant was puzzled. "In on what?"

"The trick to get them off the island."

"Not exactly; it just turned out that way."

"I'm going to need your assistance getting Rexy back in her paddock. Tembo's too busy with Dodgson right now. Are you up for it?"

Grant wiped his nose again and glanced down at his blood-smeared hand. "After tonight, sure, I could use a little excitement." He laughed.

"Good. I want to get her back in her paddock before midnight."

Muldoon and Grant continued their small talk while Arnold remained silent. Something about the entire situation stank of betrayal and he thought it was real obvious about what had happened, but he said nothing.

He stared straight ahead at Nedry, who had remained in the same area the entire time during the showdown. Sonya and Tembo walked past Nedry, ignoring his very existence. Lopez sent a hateful glare in his direction. By now, it was no surprise how much Lopez despised Nedry. _They know something's up,_ Arnold thought. He could hear Dodgson calling over his shoulder and saying something to Nedry about finishing a download or completing a program he had been working on for Biosyn. Nedry nodded and watched them leave.

Despite the distance between them, Arnold was able to make out a faint smirk across Nedry's face. It was subtle, but definitely detectible, even from where Arnold stood. As if he sensed he was being watched, Nedry glanced in Arnold's direction. They held each other's eyes for a moment, remembering the earlier scene in the emergency bunker. Nedry's smirk faded, and he walked towards the visitor center. Arnold watched him leave and shivered as the night wind blew softly.

There was one question on his mind after everything that had occurred tonight. Arnold was thankful that no one had gotten killed from the tyrannosaur escaping its paddock, but he still wanted to know why it happened—and about Nedry's role in the entire situation. _What did he have to gain by betraying Biosyn, if he had already betrayed InGen?_

**oOo **

No one heard from Dodgson for the next three days.

It was speculated that he was hiding out in Hammond's bungalow and was so furious from the failed inspection that he refused to speak to everyone—from both InGen and Biosyn. The only people who went in and out of Hammond's bungalow during that time were Nedry and Gennaro. They would go in and emerge less than five minutes later as though Dodgson had shooed them out.

The InGen staff was happy for the small triumph and went along with Muldoon's adage: Dodgson cooped himself away from everyone to nurse his bruises and lick his wounds. The Biosyn team knew better. If Dodgson was quiet for this long, it meant he was brainstorming another plan to bring down InGen—a plan that left no loopholes for failure or mistakes. When this next plan was executed, only one company would remain standing, alive, and ready to evolve.

Lewis Dodgson was certain that the competition against InGen was about survival of the fittest. There was no question in his mind who would win. The answer was so obvious to him that to even wonder about it was laughable. Biosyn, of course. And who would go extinct?

InGen.


	19. The Final Betrayal

**The Final Betrayal**

"EVERYONE GET THE FUCK OUT RIGHT NOW!"

Lewis Dodgson stormed through the visitor center. He moved with the finesse of an Olympic track star, regardless of the crutches he leaned on for support. If anything, his injured ankle seemed to give him an extra boost of energy, rather than slow him down. He stopped at the control room and banged on the door. Ray Arnold, Gerry Harding, and Robert Muldoon were inside huddled together having an intense conversation. They looked up when they heard Dodgson's pounding.

"Get out—NOW!"

Harding approached the door warily and opened it. Muldoon and Arnold froze in mid-conversation. Dodgson's temples throbbed when he saw them glaring back at him. _How fucking dare they,_ he thought, _they should all be dragged out against their will! _The mere thought of his Biosyn team inflicting torture on the InGen staff made him chuckle. Dodgson quickly regained control of himself, when he saw them looking at him with puzzled expressions. Actually, he felt a mixture of hatred and confusion coming from them.

"What the hell are you three looking at? Didn't you hear me?"

"We didn't," Muldoon said. He shrugged as though saying "So?"

"I'll make myself clear so that there's _NO ROOM_ for misunderstanding. Get your lousy asses out of this room now—all of you! We're having a meeting in front of my bungalow. I'm not going to stand for this petty shit anymore!"

Dodgson stared at them, his chest heaving, and his shoulders rising up and down as he took deep breaths.

They didn't budge.

"Do I have to repeat myself again? We're having a meeting right now with both InGen and my staff and we're doing it outside by the bungalow."

"How come we're not meeting in the conference room?" Harding asked.

"You always have to be a smart-ass and ask questions," Dodgson fumed. "Just do as I say. Leave Dr. Grant, Dr. Sattler, and the two spoiled brats out of this. The rest of you _better_ show up. That means that stupid mathematician and cheap lawyer better show their dumb faces. Am I clear?"

Arnold nodded and put out his cigarette. He went to light another one when Dodgson pointed at him.

"No smoking outside. I'm sick of the damn smoke on this island."

Dodgson left as quickly as he had came.

"What's this all about?" Muldoon asked.

Arnold shrugged. "Probably about what happened last week. He's pissed because his idea of showing off the park to Biosyn executives didn't work out. Too bad."

"Maybe he'll leave now," Harding said. "Take his little cronies and leave for good."

"Doubt it." Arnold stood up. "Let's see what he wants. I'm radioing Dr. Grant and the rest of them. The more we have out there, the better off we'll be. There's strength in numbers."

Muldoon and Harding nodded in agreement.

**oOo**

Moments later, Donald Gennaro and Ian Malcolm joined Muldoon, Harding, and Arnold outside by Hammond's bungalow. Dodgson still claimed ownership over the bungalow, the visitor center, Isla Nublar, and of course, Jurassic Park. Everything was still the property of John Hammond no matter what Dodgson claimed or wished. That's how the InGen staff viewed the matter, although they chose for the time being to not speak this sentiment aloud. Dodgson's infamous temper tantrums could last for weeks and it would only make things worse for InGen. So they waited outside, not speaking a word to each other, in front of a building that Dodgson claimed belonged to him.

Charcoal gray clouds hovered above the island threatening to break at any moment. It fit the mood of the InGen staff. Although the Biosyn executives had been driven out due to the failed park tour, Dodgson seemed more determined than ever to squash InGen. Nothing seemed to deter him and the InGen staff was beyond exhausted from their situation. Still, they obeyed Dodgson when he demanded they attend this meeting.

_Of all the places to hold a meeting, _Muldoon thought, _why outside by Hammond's bungalow? _It didn't make sense to him, but then again, who said Lewis Dodgson had any common sense? The man was crazy and sociopathic; he would go through any lengths to get what he wanted and crush any person who stood in the way of his goals.

Muldoon held his fedora and heard a click as Arnold lit a cigarette next to him. Arnold puffed on his cigarette and Muldoon wondered if he was smoking to openly defy Dodgson, instead of due to his usual anxiety. Muldoon observed everyone else. Gennaro stared at the ground and scuffed his shoe as though he would rather be elsewhere. Muldoon didn't feel bad for him; after all, Gennaro had tried to help Dodgson by getting Jurassic Park under Biosyn's name. Past Gennaro, Malcolm stood silent with his hands in his pockets. Muldoon thought he must be sweating sheets of perspiration under the black clothing he always wore. Harding stared into the distance. Muldoon wondered what he was thinking.

"Robert Muldoon."

Muldoon turned at the sound of his name being spat out like a curse word.

Roland Tembo stood across from him in the open grassy area.

"Guess this spells out the end of InGen. I hope you've got your bags packed. After today, I will be the new game warden on this island."

"Don't count on it," Muldoon said.

Tembo smirked. He was joined by Raúl Lopez and Sonya Durant, who stood on either side of him. They stared at the InGen staff with total contempt. Sonya laughed and pointed at Malcolm.

"Where's Blondie? Hiding under your bed?"

Malcolm shot a hateful glare in her direction, but remained quiet. George Lawala came out with Henry Wu, followed by George Baselton and Howard King. They joined the Biosyn team and faced off against the InGen staff.

"Where the hell is Lew?" Lopez asked. "It never takes him this long."

"Maybe he fell off a cliff and broke his neck," Harding said, casually.

"You wish," Tembo said.

"They say wishes do come true."

"You've been wishing for us to get off this island for the longest time…and nothing's happened."

"Yet."

Tembo's eyebrows rose slightly in surprise at Harding's response. "Don't hold your breath."

Harding stopped right then. Thunder rumbled in the distance. He turned to the left and saw Dodgson emerge from the bunker nearby. Dennis Nedry walked by his side and flashed a wide grin to the InGen staff. Arnold turned away, disgusted by everything. Nedry carried a manila envelop with him and then stopped short when Dodgson did. Everyone turned their attention to Dodgson.

"Good afternoon, Dr. Dodgson," Lopez said, glaring at Nedry.

"Good afternoon, Raúl. Put out that fucking cigarette!" Dodgson pointed at Arnold, who dropped his cigarette to the ground and smashed it with his shoe. "I don't know what Hammond saw in you buffoons. I sure as hell don't see the talent he thought he had."

"That's why we're here and they're going bye-bye," Sonya said. "It's been a long time coming."

"Correct," Dodgson said, turning to the InGen staff. "I'm called you out here so we can discuss as a _team_ what the hell happened last week. I'd like to know whose bright idea it was to send my executives to the east dock."

Dodgson was met with a cold silence. He broke it right away.

"And who thought it would be funny to turn off the fences' power." Dodgson stared at the InGen staff, his gray eyes piercing them with severe hatred. "Anyone want to volunteer to go first?"

Lopez raised his hand like a dutiful student. "InGen needs to wake up and realize that Biosyn," he said, gesturing to Sonya and Tembo and then pointed at Wu, King and Baselton, "is not going anywhere. The sooner they realize this, the better off they'll be."

Dodgson nodded. "Good. You always know how to break the ice, Raúl." He smiled, but his smile quickly faded. "I want to go further than that—I want to hear an explanation from Hammond's staff as to what happened last week. I demand an apology."

"We want you to get the hell off our island."

Dodgson's head snapped in Muldoon's direction. "I know you feel like that, Mr. Muldoon, but as it is…Dennis, the folder please."

Nedry handed Dodgson the manila folder.

"You see this?" Dodgson said, holding up the manila folder. "This folder holds a quarter of the paperwork I have to fill out to ensure that InGen merges with Biosyn. InGen will cease to exist. So even though your little pranks scared away Biosyn executives last week from this island," he glared at Arnold when he said this, "as the co-signer of these papers, I hold more power than you think. You really didn't accomplish much. You lost all and Biosyn gained all."

Silence from the InGen staff.

"You can thank Mr. Gennaro for his assistance in helping me acquire InGen. As Sonya eloquently stated, it's been a long time coming and now that's it's here…I hope you all have updated your résumés."

Dodgson paused to see their reactions. Arnold turned away and Harding shook his head in disbelief. Malcolm took a deep breath. Muldoon glared at him.

"That is, unless, you choose to work for the better company. Apply to work for Biosyn and you'll find that we are much more efficient company than InGen. We're always looking for mathematicians dressed in black who love to spell out doom for competitor's projects. I don't want to get too far ahead of myself…let's go back to the original topic. What the fuck did you think you were trying to do last week?"

No one answered.

"Well? Do you think I'm as stupid as I look?"

"Yeah, I do," Muldoon said. "We all do." The InGen staff nodded.

Dodgson's eyes narrowed to slits behind his tinted shades. "You talk a lot, Mr. Muldoon. Care to share more?"

"How's your bloody ankle?"

"It's bloody fine," Dodgson said in a mocking tone. He kicked out his right leg. "Just for the record, a sprained ankle isn't going to stop me. I should also mention that I wouldn't have been able to accomplish taking over this island without the help of one of your very own." He gestured with his crutch. "Dennis has been wonderful in providing me with all the information I need. God bless our favorite hacker."

Nedry flashed his infamous wide grin again.

"May he rot in hell," Arnold said.

Nedry turned to him, the same clownish grin plastered on his face.

Arnold watched as Nedry stepped behind Dodgson and mirrored his actions. When Dodgson pointed at the InGen staff, Nedry did the same.

"By the end of today, I will have all your information on how you built the park from the ground up. Henry's research is being downloaded on the database that Dennis set up a week ago. InGen's secrets will be known to the world when Biosyn flaunts it as their own."

"Flaunts it!" Nedry said.

"Enough of that, back to the topic at hand."

Muldoon and Arnold exchanged an exasperated glance.

"Nobody wants to answer my question." Dodgson turned to the Biosyn staff. Baselton and King glanced up at the darkening sky. Lawala stood apart from the Biosyn team, as though separating himself from them. "So the fences went off by themselves? Is that what happened? You thought it'd hurt Biosyn to do that, but all you assholes did was make yourselves look incompetent."

"Incompetent!" Nedry chuckled.

"We already know this about them," Tembo said. "Especially Robert Muldoon. Every time he stares at the mirror, he's reminded of his gross incompetence. It's pathetic, really."

Fed up with Tembo's remarks, Muldoon bolted towards him with his fists clenched. _ It's time to give that bloody poacher what he's been asking for, _Muldoon thought,_ a knockout punch in the mouth. _ He heard Arnold and Malcolm calling him back, but he ignored them. Lopez and Sonya straightened their postures, expecting to get involved in the fight. Dodgson's eyes widened and he got between them to break up the oncoming struggle. Tembo grinned and went towards Muldoon, disregarding Dodgson who tried to prevent the oncoming fight.

"Go ahead, take a shot!" Tembo taunted. "Let's see what you're made of!"

Before Tembo finished taunting him, Muldoon had already swung his fist. Dodgson stumbled to the ground and the crutches fell nearby. Muldoon glanced at Dodgson who lay helpless on the ground and then at Tembo who sneered in front of him. _One fool down, one more to go._

"You missed."

Muldoon pulled his fist back and slammed it directly at Tembo's jaw. Tembo staggered backwards and grasped his jaw. He quickly regained his balance, but wasn't ready for Muldoon's second attack.

"Looks like I didn't." Muldoon punched Tembo again.

Laughter erupted from Malcolm and Harding. Gennaro frowned, not participating and showing no alliance to either company. Lopez snatched Tembo up from the ground and Lawala pulled him backwards which allowed Muldoon more cheap shots. Tembo wiped the blood leaking from his nose, his olive green eyes blazed with fury.

"Cheap shots are the only defense in your repertoire."

Muldoon's leg shot out and struck Tembo square in the chest. Tembo doubled over in pain and backed up against the bungalow. Muldoon rushed at him, his fists flew.

"Kick his ass!" Harding shouted.

Muldoon barely registered what Harding had said when suddenly Lopez jumped into the fray. He seized Muldoon and pushed him down to the ground. This gave time for Sonya to check up on Tembo. Tembo shoved Sonya aside, nodded at her quickly to communicate he didn't need her assistance, and started towards Muldoon, who was getting to his feet. He halted when he saw Dodgson writhing on the ground.

Dodgson gritted his teeth when he put pressure on his right ankle.

"Shit," he muttered. He struggled to get to his feet and reached for his crutches.

"Dr. Dodgson?" Lopez didn't disguise the concern in his voice. He rushed over, but Dodgson waved him away.

"I got this," Nedry said, pushing Lopez aside. He knelt down and helped Dodgson get to his feet, while also assisting him with the crutches. "You alright, Lew?"

"Kiss-ass," Lopez grumbled.

Nedry ignored him.

Dodgson coughed and reoriented himself. He heard snickering and shouting above him and the ground blurred in front of him. _What the hell happened?_ He had been bragging to InGen that Biosyn owned them, and that their plan of releasing the dinosaurs during the tour in an effort to drive out Biosyn had failed miserably. Then out of nowhere, he was preventing a fight between Muldoon and Tembo. The situation took place in a matter of seconds. Muldoon took a shot and missed Tembo the first time, but he had succeeded in knocking Dodgson to the ground. Muldoon's shot had made Dodgson woozy. The dizziness lifted and his anger returned, helping him to refocus.

"You miserable shitheads," Dodgson said as he glared at the InGen staff.

The snickers abruptly stopped.

"You miserable shitheads," Nedry parroted.

"That's enough, Dennis."

Nedry silenced and watched as Dodgson contained his rage.

"This island doesn't belong to Costa Rica nor does it belong to John Hammond. This island is fucking _mine_!" Dodgson slammed one palm on his chest for emphasis. "By the end of today, I'll see to it that you and your belongings are swimming towards the mainland. I can't wait to the day when I don't have to see any of your stupid miserable faces!"

Dodgson limped back and forth as severe pain in his ankle took over his right foot. He kept talking to distract himself from the pain, but it was getting worse. A fat raindrop splattered on his head. This is all he needed now—a poorly timed thunderstorm while his right ankle twisted and worsened. It hurt like hell now. It was infuriating because Dodgson would rather skin alive each InGen staff, twisted ankle and all, than for them to have the last laugh. He had to take care of the injury before it took care of him. He had to go back inside the visitor center and ensure this wound was dressed properly. Nobody on InGen's side would help him. Sighing in frustration, he directed the Biosyn team.

"Roland, Sonya, Henry, George—all of you—keep your eyes on these pitiful sore losers," he ordered, pointing at the InGen staff. "Don't let them out of your sight for one second. I have to go and check out my ankle. I'll be right back."

Dodgson limped and found the pain was too great. It felt like hot fire licking around his ankle with nails being driven into the skin simultaneously. His eyes scanned the area. He didn't want to look helpless. He heard something being ripped and turned in that direction. Nedry had ripped off the long sleeve of his trench coat and gestured Dodgson to come over.

"Hold still," Nedry said as he concentrated on wrapping the torn black sleeve around Dodgson's injured ankle.

All eyes were on him as he finished tying it into a sturdy knot. Muldoon watched Nedry help Dodgson and felt repulsed when he remembered Nedry doing the same for him on Isla Sorna. _It had all been an act,_ he thought, furiously. _An act put on by a lying traitor who could act sympathetic when the time was right._ He kept his focus on Nedry and Dodgson because he would break Tembo's jaw if the poacher entered his vision. It would do Tembo a universe of good if he learned from this last experience to not test him. Muldoon saw Arnold shaking his head as Nedry positioned himself under Dodgson's arm so that Dodgson was leaning on him for support.

"It's a good thing John's not here to see this," Arnold muttered.

Muldoon nodded in agreement. Malcolm and Harding watched as Nedry took slow steps with Dodgson. Gennaro closed his eyes. It was his way of ignoring what was happening.

Wu, Baselton, and King exchanged knowing glances. They were amused by InGen's reaction. It was definitely certain that Dodgson would keep his word about kicking off the InGen staff by the end of today, so they weren't worried. Sonya and Tembo smirked at Muldoon.

"We'll finish what we started," Tembo said to Muldoon. "Before the day's over."

Muldoon cast him a cold glance and let his silence do the talking.

Lawala ignored Lopez's frantic back and forth pacing. Lopez was the only one from Biosyn that reacted adversely to Nedry assisting Dodgson. It was obvious that he wanted to be the one to help Dodgson, but was furious that Nedry was doing it.

"You're as loyal as a dog, Dennis. What would I do without you?" Dodgson said.

Lopez threw his arms up in the air, totally frustrated. Dodgson paid him no mind.

"The visitor center isn't too far from here." Nedry smirked in Lopez's direction, elated that he was helping Dodgson, and that it infuriated his rival.

"'_The visitor center isn't too far from here,_'" Lopez mimicked nastily.

Nedry rolled his eyes. "You're so mature, Raúl."

He took slow steps while Dodgson leaned on him for support. They continued forward leaving the group behind at the bungalow. Soon, they were on the path leading to the visitor center. Nedry remained silent and shifted his position so that Dodgson was able to walk comfortably. They started up the steps, Dodgson taking one at a time and Nedry being patient with him.

"You really are something, Dennis. I had the team beat the living shit out of you, and yet you still came back and worked out everything in our favor!" Dodgson snickered. "Guess you learned, didn't you?"

Nedry simply smiled and his eyebrows rose in curiosity. The frozen smile on his face was wry and devious. Dodgson missed it.

"You were always my favorite," Dodgson continued. "I knew from the start that you were brilliant and that Hammond was wasting your talent."

"He shouldn't have taken my talent for granted."

"He shouldn't have. His loss is my gain."

"It certainly was your gain, Lew. Hammond missed out."

"That old croaker did," Dodgson said, excitedly. "Aren't you glad you made the right decision in the end?"

"And what decision is that?"

"To ditch InGen and join Biosyn permenantly."

A full minute of silence passed before Nedry finally answered.

"That's an interesting take on the situation."

"It's the damn truth and you know it!"

Nedry nodded and they reached the top of the stairs. The impressive double doors leading into the visitor center were closed. Nedry released him so that Dodgson leaned against the outside of the building. He rested his leg so that he wasn't putting too much pressure on it.

"Hold still, Dr. Dodgson." Nedry squinted at the double doors, as though he had forgotten something important inside the visitor center. "There are first-aid kits in there. You should be back on your feet in no time."

"You learned a lot about patching up injured ankles."

"I suffered a sprained ankle in the past, if you remember."

"From that raptor incident that threw Hammond out of the picture!" Dodgson laughed loudly. "What did you think of today? I scared the shit out of InGen."

"You sure did, Dr. Dodgson," Nedry said, absently.

Dodgson frowned, confused. "Call me 'Lew'. Why are you being so formal?"

"Because after today that is how I will address you."

Nedry suddenly snatched Dodgson's collar with his one good hand. Dodgson felt himself yanked forward and barely had enough time to register what was happening when he saw Nedry's injured hand close into a tight fist. In the blink of an eye, Nedry slammed him in the face.

"That's for Dr. Sattler."

Dodgson reeled backwards, hitting the back of his head against the double doors. Nedry swung again and struck Dodgson's throat. Dodgson collapsed and his forehead smacked the stairs. Red and blue streamers flooded his vision. The metallic taste of blood seeped into his mouth. When he looked up, he saw Nedry standing over him. A cold glint shone in his eyes.

"What the—" Dodgson started.

Nedry's leg shot out and kicked him in the stomach. Dodgson lost his breath and he tumbled down the steps. His tinted shades flew off his face and landed on one of the steps, forgotten. Nedry rushed down the steps and stomped on the abandoned shades. Dodgson flailed his arms wildly and gasped for air. His hands reached out to grab anything that would break the fall. Nedry remained expressionless and Dodgson saw him lift his leg as though in slow motion. Fast-forward a millisecond and Nedry stomped on Dodgson's hands, causing him to release his grip.

"That's for John Hammond."

Dodgson shrieked in pain and rolled down the steps head first as Nedry kicked him again. He grunted and landed flat on his back on the path in front of the visitor center. He tried to stand up and felt hot pain racing up and down his right leg. His ankle was screaming in agony. He turned on his stomach and felt his ankle twist and resist the slightest movement.

"Fucking hell..."

Nedry hurried down the steps. Dodgson scooted to the grass near the lake in front of the visitor center trying to avoid him, but it was too late. Nedry knelt down and grabbed him by the collar. Dodgson struggled to free himself as Nedry's fist crashed into his face again and again. Dodgson's face swung, spewing out blood. He threw another punch and this time Dodgson swore he felt one of his front teeth loosen.

"And that's for Robert Muldoon."

Nedry threw him to the ground. Dodgson coughed and saliva dribbled down his chin. Overwhelmed by shock, he sputtered, but his words escaped him. Nedry grabbed him up from the ground and lifted him into the air. Dodgson kicked desperately, but to no avail. Nedry was oblivious to Dodgson's pitiful attempts to defend himself.

"You're _still_ wondering who let the lizards out from their pen that night," Nedry said, clearly annoyed that Dodgson hadn't gave him credit for his betrayal. "You're so damn brainless."

Dodgson shook his head and wiped the blood spilling from his nose

"It was ME! Who else did you think it was?" Nedry threw Dodgson to the ground and kicked him in the gut to punctuate what he had just said.

Dodgson doubled over, groaning in pain. "You traitorous son of a bitch…" His voice rose as he struggled to hear his words over the constant ringing in his ears. "I saved you; I helped you when you were—"

Nedry kicked him in the mouth and grinned when he heard Dodgson cry out. Nedry held his foot down and mashed it against Dodgson's mouth. When he stopped, Dodgson's mouth was a slobbery mess of blood and saliva.

"What's that, Dr. Dodgson?"

Dodgson backed off and pointed at Nedry. He screamed loudly as though struggling to be heard over a landing airplane. "YOU FOOLED ME FOR THE LAST TIME—YOU FUCKING TRAITOR!"

Nedry grabbed Dodgson up from the ground and slammed his back against a palm tree. Holding Dodgson's neck with his one good hand, he tightened his grip.

"It's the first time," he said, calmly. "Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me. Oh, the 'me' in that equation would be you, right?" Nedry laughed and squeezed Dodgson's throat.

**oOo**

Muldoon and Arnold were waiting by the bungalow, when they heard a loud crash nearby. They glanced at Malcolm, whose eyes had widened. He had heard it too.

"What was that about?" Harding asked.

As if in answer to his question, they heard Dodgson screaming: "_YOU FOOLED ME FOR THE LAST TIME—YOU FUCKING TRAITOR!_"

Whatever was happening was immediately recognized by the Biosyn team, although they were slow to react. Baselton and King glanced in the direction of the visitor center. They appeared nervous, looking all around them to make sure whatever had befallen on Dodgson wouldn't happen to them. Wu' appeared suspicious.

"Good thing Dr. Grant and Dr. Sattler are with Tim and Lex," Malcolm whispered. Then the realization hit him. "I think Dennis just proved good on his promise."

Arnold said, "But we don't know that for sure."

"Quit whispering!" Tembo shouted. He came over to them to break them apart when Muldoon blocked his path. "Step aside, Robert Muldoon."

"No."

Tembo was about to say something when Lopez came over. Lopez was deathly serious and determined. Tembo saw that and nodded in understanding.

"I'm going to check on Dr. Dodgson."

"Take this," Tembo said, handing him a small handgun. "I know you have your own rifle, but this is just as good. It has rock-salt cartridges which is good for disabling men." He searched in his pockets and thrust three bullets in Lopez's hand. "Take this too. Go see what's happening. The rest of us will baby-sit the InGen staff."

Lopez nodded. "It's about time I put that big mouth hacker away for good, Roland."

"The sentiment is shared."

** oOo**

"I have a knack for timing, wouldn't you agree, Dr. Dodgson?" Nedry asked, still pressing Dodgson against the palm tree.

Dodgson coughed. He clawed at Nedry's face and was kneed in the groin for his troubles. He mumbled incoherently, still in absolute shock from Nedry's violent betrayal.

"Damn you," Dodgson sputtered. "Fuck you!"

Blood and snot leaked from nose and sweat glistened on his face. Nedry slammed his back against the palm tree again and Dodgson's neck snapped backwards. He grabbed Nedry's wrist trying to pry it off his neck. Nedry put all his strength into his one good hand and maintained his hold.

"Get the hell off him," a furious voice growled from behind.

Nedry threw Dodgson to the ground like an unwanted toy. Dodgson's back hit the ground hard and he cursed loudly.

"I knew you would do this," the voice continued. "Lew, I told you he would."

Nedry was amused. "Dodgson's number one whore to the rescue."

He turned around to face the third party. Lopez stood with his gun drawn and aimed directly at Nedry.

"Did you come to rescue your lover?" Nedry viciously kicked Dodgson's stomach. Dodgson groaned in pain and curled up to protect himself.

"Strike him one more time and you're going six feet under."

"Are you his bodyguard?" Nedry knelt down, snatched Dodgson's hair, and slammed him face first into the ground. He beamed when he heard his nose crack. "Because you're doing a lousy job at it!"

Dodgson shook his head to overcome the nausea surrounding him. "You treacherous bast—" He started and was immediately silenced when Nedry put his sneaker over his mouth.

"I'm sorry, Dr. Dodgson; you have to speak a little louder." Nedry offered a confident grin to Lopez. "I thought you said I was going six feet under. I'm waiting."

"Don't test me."

"You already failed."

Lopez kept his gun out. "You're envious that you could never beat me. You always were."

"Me? Jealous of _you_? Oh please, it's the other way around. You wanted to be number one."

"I got news for you, ex-con. I _am_ number one."

"I'm glad we settled that." Nedry glanced at the gun aimed at him.

"There was never any competition. You're nothing compared to me."

"Hate to sink your ship, but I never cared about being number one or number forty-one in Dodgson's happy family."

Lopez's finger rubbed against the trigger. A deadly click emitted from the gun.

"Why can't we be friends?" Nedry laughed an arrogant laugh that showed little fear. It was a laugh Arnold and Muldoon were familiar with.

Lopez's face reddened. His heart thundered against his chest. "Because we're enemies."

"Does that mean we must fight?"

"I'd prefer to blow your head off, but that'd be too easy."

"Let's do this." Nedry held up his clenched fists like a boxer anticipating taking the first hit on his opponent. "Man to man."

Lopez nodded eagerly. _Finally, I have the chance to beat the living crap out of the stupid ass—without any interference. _ The best part was that Nedry gave him an open invitation.

"This has been a long time coming," Lopez growled, rolling up his sleeves.

Nedry stepped cautiously away from Dodgson.

"One rule," he said.

"What's that?"

"No guns. Fight clean."

Lopez nodded and threw his gun to the ground.

**oOo**

Tembo guarded the InGen staff while Sonya kept vigilant. Several minutes had passed since Lopez had left to find out what had happened to Dodgson. So far they had heard nothing.

Muldoon, Arnold, Harding, and Malcolm stood single file not moving. Gennaro stood several feet away from them. He appeared bored. There was a ruffling nearby. Tembo snapped his fingers at Lawala, signaling him to take a look. Lawala didn't have to go far before Dodgson came back staggering to them. He collapsed on his side, wheezing, and spitting out blood.

"Lopez…is taking care…of that lying bastard. He did it to us again…I can't believe it…" Dodgson coughed up blood. "He's gonna pay…and pay with a fucking tombstone…I swear…"

Muldoon met Arnold's and Malcolm's eyes. Arnold nodded and Malcolm mouthed '_do it_'. Right away Muldoon knew what had to be done. Without warning, he sprinted off to the emergency bunker and from there he would head to the visitor center.

"WHERE THE HELL ARE YOU GOING!" Tembo shouted.

"GO! GO! GO!" Arnold, Malcolm, and Harding yelled at different times, their voices blending and overlapping.

Muldoon didn't look back.

He was already calculating in his mind which weapons he needed. The ring of keys jingled in his pocket and he took them out, holding them up with pride. Muldoon was thankful he was the only one who had access to the firearms on the island. He knew he had little time for InGen to keep the upper hand that had stemmed from Nedry betraying Biosyn—and he would have to act fast.

**oOo**

Nedry and Lopez circled each other in the visitor center's lobby.

Nedry felt like he was in prison again for the first time: he knew Lopez was evaluating his every move and watching for any weakness he might reveal if he wasn't careful. Nedry kept both fists up in fighter's stance in case he had to block a punch or execute a shot. Lopez smirked and kept stealing quick glances at the skeletal display above them.

"You have no honor, Dennis."

"Boo-hoo." Nedry's eyes widened in mock sympathy.

"You are lower than a snitch. You're so low that there's no words to describe you."

"Is that an insult?"

"It's the truth. I tried telling Lew, but he didn't listen to me." He pointed at Nedry's right fist that was still swathed in white gauze and at his fingers held apart by wooden splints. Some of the bandages had come undone during Nedry's assault on Dodgson. "So you've been waiting all this time for your little injury to heal."

"That's for me to know and you to find out."

"Take it off."

Nedry held up his right fist. "Why? You're afraid that I'm gonna use it as a weapon?"

"You're not injured. Take that gauze off right now."

"Are you suffering from dementia, Raúl? You were there that night it happend and you just said I was waiting all this time for the injury to heal!" Nedry chuckled. "Hey, if selective memory works for you…"

"Last warning," Lopez said in a low voice. "If you don't take it off, I'll take it off for you and when I do, you'll regret not doing it yourself."

"I'll make it easy for you." Nedry shrugged and turned his back on Lopez. "Whenever you're ready."

Nedry immediately realized his mistake in turning his back on his enemy. There was a shout from behind and when he turned around, Lopez was charging at him with his arms outstretched. Before he could assess what was happening, Nedry was slammed to the ground on his back. He groaned and tried to get up, but it was impossible. Lopez wasted no time in clamping his hands on Nedry's throat to choke him out. Nedry sputtered and tried throwing Lopez off him, but Lopez didn't budge.

"I told you to give up."

Nedry desperately tried to pry Lopez's hands off his throat, but it was futile. Then he had a better idea. Lopez leaned into Nedry's face, smiling triumphantly as though the victory was already his. Nedry curled his fingers into a claw and jammed them in Lopez's eyes. Lopez let go of Nedry's throat. Nedry gasped for breath and got to his feet as fast as he possibly could to gain the advantage. Lopez forgot about the sharp pain in his eyes and snatched Nedry's ankle, pulling back fast. Nedry fell to the floor again, turned on his side, and kicked with his free leg. His sneaker met Lopez's jaw and Lopez fell backwards, releasing his grip on Nedry's ankle. His mouth throbbed painfully and he spat out blood.

"Lousy cheat," Lopez growled as he wobbled to his feet, regaining his balance. He raced up the spiral staircase in the lobby, while fishing in his pocket. When he got to the top of the staircase, he produced a 9mm gun.

"What the hell?" Nedry shouted.

Lopez was breathing so fast that he could barely contain himself. He glanced at the cables holding the dinosaur skeletons in the lobby and aimed his gun in that direction. A shot rang out, then two more. Nedry covered his ears when he heard the deafening shots. Lopez grinned crazily as a thunderous shots echoed in the lobby. He backed up against the stairway's rail and aimed again with his gun. Lopez squeezed the trigger at the last cable holding the tyrannosaur skeleton up. The skeleton dipped lower and Nedry was right beneath it.

Nedry looked up in time, his eyes wide with fear as Lopez fired the last shot. A creaking noise and then a sudden snapping and the skeleton rushed downwards to the floor. Nedry raised his hands over his head to block the assault of bones.

Lopez looked down and breathed hard, proud of his handiwork. The last thing he had seen was Nedry holding his arms over his head to protect himself. The tyrannosaur skeleton crashed down on him, the bones breaking and scattering in the area. A cloud of white dust flew up and spread throughout the lobby.

**oOo**

Muldoon kicked open the emergency bunker's door. He held one tranquilizer dart between his teeth and shoved more into his pockets. Jumbled thoughts raced through his mind. He would have more time to think and sort everything out later on. Time to think about the promise Nedry had made to help InGen and that he had made good on it. _He was true to his word,_ Muldoon thought. He realized suddenly what Nedry had been trying to do the entire time. Now he knew and he wished he hadn't dismissed him so quickly. Muldoon shook his head and cleared his mind. Right now he had to act fast before it was too late for InGen. Muldoon heard a loud crash from somewhere inside the visitor center and hurried to find Nedry and Lopez.

**oOo**

Lopez blew the smoke from the barrel of his gun and quickly hid the gun. He had two guns—the one he just used to destroy the dinosaur skeletal exhibit, and the one Tembo had gave him. The gun he had thrown down in front of Nedry had been full of blanks.

He crept towards the heap of bones that had collapsed on top of Nedry. Lopez kicked disconnected bones to the side and felt for Tembo's gun in his pocket. No, he wouldn't use it—not yet anyway.

"You've been locked up for two years and you were taken out by 'lizard' bones. How pitiful is that?"

Lopez laughed and kicked more bones to the side. _What a mess,_ he thought, _but you're used to this, aren't you, Dennis? You stupid slob. _ Wait till he went back and told the others how easy it had been to decimate Nedry. There was a rumbling sound off to Lopez's right. He whirled around and Nedry stood in front of him holding a bone from the display. It was solid and thick, the size of a baseball bat. Lopez's jaw dropped and before he could utter a sound, Nedry swung the bone at Lopez's stomach. Lopez gasped in pain when the bone slammed into his abdomen. He doubled over in extreme pain. Blood leaked from his mouth and he collapsed to his knees. He looked up in time to see Nedry swing the bone in his face. A cracking sound echoed in Lopez's ears: it was the sound of his nose breaking.

"Lizard bones will be the end of you. It's appropriate, considering your profession," Nedry said, and smashed the bone against Lopez's back.

Lopez fell to the floor, increasingly nauseous. Splinters of broken bone jabbed him in the face. He sensed Nedry walking towards him and braced himself. But Nedry didn't go near him. Instead, he strolled up the spiral staircase, deliberately walking slow as though giving Lopez the opportunity to catch up with him. When Lopez looked up again, he saw Nedry grinning, taunting and daring him to go to the second level of the visitor center.

"That's all you've got?" He said, smirking down at Lopez. "You go down faster than a stack of cards."

"Speak for yourself, you scared bastard." Lopez shook his head as his temperature went up. The hotter he felt, the angrier he became. Ignoring the pounding pain in his head, Lopez bolted to his feet and chased down Nedry who raced ahead of him.

"I'm still waiting for you to use the combat tricks you learned while locked up," Lopez said as he approached Nedry who stood outside of the control room.

Nedry backed up against the control room's door and faced Lopez. "You don't want that."

"Don't I?"

"Nope."

"We'll see about that," Lopez said as he pulled back his fist and slammed it in Nedry's direction.

Nedry dodged out the way. Lopez's eyes widened as his fist rammed through the glass of the control room's door. It was like slow motion. When he brought his hand back, it was coated in blood.

"Son of a bitch—keep still."

Lopez punched again and this time Nedry grabbed his arm and slammed it down on a piece of jagged glass sticking up from the control room's entrance. Lopez shouted in agony as the shard of glass stabbed his forearm. Nedry pushed him to the ground and opened the control room's door from the inside. He rushed into the room and his eyes landed on a long extension cord plugged to one of the outlets. Without checking to make sure if it was connected to the main computers, Nedry yanked it out of the outlet. Behind him, he heard Lopez run inside the control room. A mouse whizzed by Nedry's head.

"Throwing things at me?" Nedry asked, snickering. "You need practice with your aim."

Lopez snatched Arnold's keyboard and threw it at Nedry. It crashed into the wall and hit the floor. Nedry ducked and circled around Lopez swiftly. Lopez turned around trying to keep up with Nedry, but the blood in his right arm kept spilling out. He paused to make a tourniquet with his belt.

"Cabrón," Lopez muttered.

Nedry allowed him to a period of grace to fix the injury on his arm.

"You're a better man than me," Lopez said, glaring at Nedry. "I would've shot you by now if the roles were reversed."

Nedry shook his head. "If that's what you want to believe, Raúl."

He got behind Lopez and looped the extension cord around his neck, pulling it tight. Lopez's hands instinctively went for his neck. He realized too late that it was a huge mistake to underestimate Nedry. Nedry wrapped the cord around Lopez's neck and yanked it back. Lopez's neck snapped backwards harshly. Eyes bulging and heart punching his chest, Lopez struggled to pull the cord away from his neck.

"_This_ is how we fight when we're locked up. Anything becomes a weapon, even an extension cord."

Nedry stepped backwards and pulled Lopez along with him using the extension cord as his reins. He was careful to not knock any of the computers. Lopez coughed and spat, trying to get loose. Then he remembered one advantage he had over Nedry: he could use both hands. Nedry _was_ using both hands in this fight, but it was obvious that his left hand was stronger than his right one. With this knowledge, Lopez was able to turn the fight around to his advantage. Nedry pulled tighter and at the same time, Lopez stomped on his feet. Nedry yanked the cord harder and Lopez's head jerked painfully backwards. With his last bit of strength, Lopez focused his energy on backing Nedry into a wall. From there, he could toy with Nedry's injured hand.

Lopez walked backwards quickly, faster than Nedry had anticipated. He backed Nedry into a wall and put all his weight on him so that Nedry couldn't get out. Nedry let go of the cord and Lopez took advantage of the tiny space of time to pull it off his neck. Nedry took the split second to rush out of the control room, but Lopez beat him to it first and hammered him across the face with a tightly clenched fist. Nedry reeled backwards, woozy from the punch.

"Where are you running off to? We've just begun."

He grabbed Nedry's injured wrist and hand. Nedry yanked back, but Lopez pulled him forward. Nedry winced as he tried again to wrench his injured hand free from Lopez's iron-vise grip. His eyes went wide when Lopez stuck his hand in the door jamb of the control room's entrance.

"Now we get to see if your hand is really injured—if it's not—then it will be," Lopez said, standing at the entrance door, holding it wide open.

"Damn it…" Nedry struggled to get his hand out, the gauze proved to work against him this time.

"Ready?" Lopez said with a sadistic grin. "On the count of three." He kicked Nedry in the stomach so that he collapsed. "One…two…three!"

Lopez slammed the control room's door shut and grinned when he heard Nedry groan in agonizing pain. It was truly musical: first the banging sound of the door closing, and then Nedry cursing as though his computer just crashed. _What wonders,_ Lopez thought. He freed Nedry's hand from the door jamb and shoved him down. Nedry tried crawling away, but Lopez wouldn't allow it.

"For someone who talks as much trash as you do, I would think you'd face what's coming to you instead of always running away," Lopez said calmly.

He pressed his knee into Nedry's back, putting all his weight on it, so that Nedry was pinned to the ground. Lopez pulled the injured hand upward and bent it back.

"Get the hell off!" Nedry meant it to come out as a shout, but instead, his words came out between labored breaths.

Lopez examined the white gauze enveloping his upper wrist and palm. "Charming," he said as he fished in his pocket for his switchblade. "Now comes the moment of truth: are you really injured or are you faking it?"

Nedry kicked randomly, trying to get Lopez off him. Lopez ignored his thrashing and popped open the switchblade. He sliced off some of the gauze and tossed the white strips to the floor. He removed one long white strip and dangled it in front of Nedry's eyes where he could see it.

"Looky at what we have here: a damaged hand that's worse off than before. You got the colors of the rainbow on your palm. Be careful when you open doors, Dennis, so that you don't get your hand caught in the doorway."

Lopez got up and dragged Nedry to the doorway again to repeat the same door jamb injury. He was halfway there when Nedry with his one good hand grabbed Lopez's ankles from behind with his one good hand. Lopez gasped and lost his grip on Nedry's hand. The cold floor of the control room rushed to meet his face. Nedry shakily got to his feet.

"Looky, I get to walk all over a bone-brusher," Nedry said as he stomped on Lopez's sprawled body. "I'll be waiting for you in the gift shop."

**oOo**

Muldoon crept into the visitor center with his shotgun and was amazed at what he found in the lobby. The tyrannosaur skeleton was in shambles. All the bones were disconnected and some were broken. Hammond would be beside himself if he saw huge mess in the visitor center—never mind who had caused it.

"What a bloody mess," he said to himself.

A door slammed on the second level. Muldoon hurried up the spiral staircase to see what it was.

**oOo**

"WHERE THE HELL ARE YOU!" Lopez yelled as he ran into the visitor center's gift shop.

From wall to wall were shelves of all kinds of Jurassic Park souvenirs with the park's logo: thermoses, lunchboxes, stuffed animals, plush dinosaurs, action figures, soap, toothbrushes, towels, t-shirts, sweaters, jogging suits, hats, bracelets, watches, playing cards, key-chains, ceramic mugs, shot glasses, drinking glasses, postcards, folders, notebooks, mouse pads, picture frames, air fresheners, posters, banners, pennants…the list went on and on. There was even a shelf that went from floor to ceiling, holding glass replicas of amber encased felt hot with anger just looking at the merchandise. The knick-knacks were a waste of money, but people wouldn't think twice about spending five dollars on a baseball with the Jurassic Park logo on it.

This was capitalism at its worst to Lopez. He detested the idea of dinosaurs—the beautiful majestic creatures that he loved to study—being resurrected after all these millions of years—for the sake of the almighty dollar bill. That was all John Hammond cared about: billions of dollars being made at the expense of animals that didn't ask to be brought back after being extinct for so many eons and imprisoned on an island through technological means. And Hammond wasn't the only one addicted to the fresh scent of money.

Nedry was too…

With that thought pushed to the front of his mind, all of Lopez's hatred towards him overflowed and he refocused on the task of getting rid of him. Nedry only cared about cash. Lopez really loved these animals and cared about their lives and their histories. Idiots like Dennis Nedry thought nothing of making a fast buck off them. It helped to be reminded of why he despised Nedry so much. Aside from his chatterbox-mouth and childish greed, Nedry cared about only one person: himself. He had no consideration for anyone else and deserved to be taken care of.

Lopez had tried to get Lawala to see that, but Lawala refused. Even that night in the cell, Lopez had noticed that Lawala was throwing his punches half-heartedly. They were hard punches, but nothing compared to what Lopez was dishing out to Nedry. Lopez had ensured he delivered the most harshest and painful blows. Today he hoped to deliver the final and permanent blow to Nedry.

"Where are you?"

Silence was his answer.

Then he heard breathing from behind. Lopez whirled around to find Nedry behind him. Before he could utter a word, Nedry slammed a hook punch into his jaw. Lopez staggered backwards and regained his balance quickly. His eyes searched around and he snatched a ceramic mug from nearby and threw it in Nedry's direction. Nedry ducked and the mug flew out of the gift shop and crashed outside.

"I'm sure you can do better than that."

Lopez snatched two more mugs and threw them in Nedry's direction. Nedry dodged and laughed, pointing at Lopez. Lopez felt his temple pound with rage. He stopped momentarily and saw Nedry swagger in front of the shelf holding the glass amber encased mosquitoes. Lopez suddenly rushed at him and shoved Nedry against the shelf. Nedry gasped in shock as his back hit the shelf. The shelf rocked slightly. One glass replica fell to the floor and smashed into tiny pieces. Lopez punched him in the eye.

"Yeah, I can do better than that, shithead."

"No need for name-calling," Nedry murmured as he grabbed a six foot pole resting against the wall by the shelf.

He swung the pole against Lopez's neck. Lopez fell on his side when the pole came down again, this time right on top of his skull. He gasped in pain and raised a hand to his aching neck. The pole was thrown down and when Lopez looked up again, he saw Nedry standing beside the shelf.

"Sorry, John. I know how much you treasure your golden bugs."

Nedry pushed the shelf and it clattered down right on top of Lopez. The glass replicas shattered to pieces as they hit the floor. Lopez lay beneath the mess and struggled to get to his feet, pushing the shelf off him and watching that his hands didn't get cut up by the broken glass. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Nedry scramble behind him and then his air was severed as Nedry put him in a sturdy chokehold. Lopez was now on his knees and Nedry's right arm was shoved under his neck choking off his air supply. _That slimy bastard!_ Lopez thought angrily, but he couldn't even form the words as he desperately tried to breathe.

Nedry dragged him backwards out of the gift shop. Lopez was now on his feet stumbling and elbowing Nedry left and right. Nedry refused to let go as he used his left free hand to hold his right wrist to apply the chokehold even tighter. Walls and rooms rushed past Lopez and his eyes widened as Nedry brought him into the men's room.

Frosty blue ceramic tiles met Lopez's vision and he again tried to break out of the Nedry's chokehold. His neck ached and throbbed and now he saw a reflection of himself in the mirror. He hated the image reflected back to him, his neck in a tight grasp as Nedry applied the hold stronger every minute. Blood splattered their faces and bruises already blackened and blued their skin. Dizziness began to overtake him and he grabbed Nedry's arm and went for his injured hand, punching and clawing at it. Nedry wouldn't budge and Lopez knew if he didn't get out of this chokehold that he would end up saying good-bye to the world.

Nedry pushed him forward into a stall and suddenly dropped to his knees bringing Lopez down with him. Lopez knees slammed painfully on the hard floor and just as swiftly, Nedry released the chokehold and shoved Lopez's head into the toilet. Ice cold water splashed into Lopez's face causing his entire body to drop several degrees. The porcelain of the toilet was right in front of him and he held his breath and wriggled his body. There was no way he was drowning in a toilet bowl. Nedry's hands forced his head down lower into the toilet and that's when Lopez's survival instincts kicked in. With his free right arm he felt for the cool steel of the flusher. His heart banged against his ribs as he found it and pushed down as fast as he could. A muffled roar and the water began to drain, away from his face. He thrust his head up quickly, water dripping off his soaked beard, hair, and face. Gasping for breath, he was thankful, even when Nedry slapped his hand away from the flusher, seconds too late. Air never tasted so good.

A sudden burst of energy shrouded Lopez and he elbowed Nedry in the groin. Nedry lost his grip and stumbled backwards out the stall. Lopez raised himself up at his full height and sent a high kick square into Nedry's chest. Nedry's back slammed against the ceramic wall of the bathroom. He threw a punch, but Lopez blocked it and smashed him across the face. Nedry crumpled to the ground, dizzy and exhausted. Lopez took advantage of the milliseconds he had to gain the advantage and stomped on Nedry's exposed injured hand. Nedry released a yell of pain that he had contained the entire fight.

**oOo**

"What the hell are you doing out here? No one told you to come out of hiding," Sonya snapped, glaring ahead of her.

Ellie Sattler and Alan Grant approached the InGen staff at Hammond's bungalow. Tim and Lex walked beside them. King and Baselton looked up briefly. They stood over Dodgson tending to his wounds. Dodgson sat up and pointed at them as they neared the area. Thunder rumbled above everyone and Tembo glanced up at the sky.

"Get rid of them," Dodgson ordered. Then he turned to the InGen staff. "Wait until tonight, you're gonna wish I had taken over this island from day one."

"Words won't get you far," Malcolm said as he eyed Grant and Ellie.

"Shut your dumb mouth." He groaned in pain as he turned over and motioned Lawala to come over. "Get rid of those jerks—no one asked them to come out here."

"I did," Arnold said.

Dodgson attempted to get to his feet and staggered clumsily on his crutches. "You thought you could come up with a Plan B on the fly? Hell no, it's not happening."

Dodgson was so busy shouting at Arnold that he ignored Grant and Ellie's position. Wu blocked Ellie, but Grant kept walking, ignoring the gunshot in the air fired behind him. He knew it came from Lawala. Grant stopped near Malcolm. Malcolm glanced at him and came forward when Grant motioned him to come close. Staring at Tembo, Grant whispered in Malcolm's ear and Malcolm nodded. He mouthed one word to Harding and Arnold:

_Distraction. _

"What's going on that you can't tell the rest of us?" Tembo said, taking a threatening step in their direction.

No one said a word. Lex went over to Sonya while Harding and Arnold watched, unsure of what was going on.

"Ms. Sonya, there's something you have to see."

"Buzz off, brat." Sonya spat in Lex's face.

Lex wiped the spit off. When Sonya pivoted around, Lex yanked Sonya's long black hair backwards, exposing her neck. She let go and Sonya whirled around and met Lex's hand that slapped her across the face. Sonya, gasped, shocked at Lex's aggression. She reached to grab Lex, who dodged out of the way. Suddenly she was wrestled to the ground by Ellie who ran around Wu.

"You stupid Barbie doll—!" Sonya started, but was immediately silenced when Ellie punched her in the mouth.

"Gerry—Ray—go there—NOW!" Ellie shouted in between punches.

"The visitor center!" Tim yelled out. "Go to the visitor center! Mr. Muldoon's there right now looking for Mr. Nedry and Mr. Lopez!"

Harding and Arnold nodded, but not before watching in awestruck fascination and pride as Ellie grabbed Sonya's hair and slammed the back of her head against the ground. Sonya groaned in pain and raised her hands to punch Ellie, but Ellie grabbed her wrist and twisted her hand back.

"Who said they were going to kick whose ass?" Ellie asked with a sadistic grin plastered on her face. "Looks like I'm tearing you up, you twisted bitch!" She got to her feet and when Sonya attempted to sit up, Ellie kicked her directly in the chest. Once wasn't enough and Ellie sent a flurry of kicks all over Sonya.

"DO SOMETHING!" Dodgson shouted.

Tembo scrambled to yank Ellie off her, but Ellie was quick. She sprinted away momentarily, only to return and drop kick Sonya.

Without hesitation and knowing that was their cue to leave, Harding and Arnold ran to the visitor center leaving Ellie, Grant, Malcolm, Lex, and Tim behind. They could hear Dodgson cursing up a storm and throwing his usual temper tantrum. As Harding ran, he glanced at Arnold and saw the same fire in his eyes: they were finally taking back their park. As they neared the visitor center, they could hear a shrill earsplitting noise: it was the fire alarm—someone had set it off.

**oOo**

In the visitor center at the first level, Nedry shoved Lopez through the fire exit, setting off the nonstop shrieking alarm. Lopez clapped his hands over his ears and scurried away from Nedry, who pursued him. He grabbed Lopez's collar and swung his fist. A loud clapping sound erupted as Nedry punched Lopez's face with his injured hand. Tidal waves of pain raced up and down his injured hand, but Nedry felt it only slightly as he concentrated on obliterating Lopez. Lopez backed off and held up his hands in protest as though surrendering.

"Who's running now?" Nedry asked, kicking Lopez in the gut.

Lightening forked across the sky and thunder boomed above them. Nedry wiped his face and saw Lopez struggling to get to his feet. Nedry rushed forward and pushed him to the ground. There was a sickening crack as the back of Lopez's head slammed into the ground. He slowly got up, a long trail of blood leaking down the side of his face. Nedry kicked him down again and Lopez's face hit the ground.

"Ready to raise the proverbial white flag," he asked, grinning. He strutted around, proud that he had delivered painful shots to Lopez, who staggered to get to his feet.

"Not yet," Lopez muttered as he reached into his vest.

Nedry's dark eyes widened, when he saw the familiar glint of silver in Lopez's hands. Before he could utter a syllable of protest, it was too late: Lopez had already whipped out his gun and fired a shot. Nedry fell backwards and landed hard on his back on the ground with the wind knocked out of his lungs. He closed his eyes, trying to gather himself together. The stinging pain in his right thigh was immense. It wasn't a bullet, but something much worse. Almost like the stuff Tembo had used on him during the ambush at the motel. He would have rather taken a bullet than deal with whatever Lopez was using against him. Nedry clumsily sat up and forced himself not to vomit, even though he could taste sour nausea flooding his mouth.

"We said…" he mumbled between ragged breaths, "no guns."

Lopez's brown eyes were flat. "I lied." He fired a second shot into Nedry's left arm.

Nedry writhed on the grass, unable to get up and defend himself. He trembled as sheer terror drenched him. He took deep breaths to calm himself. That was a feat much easier to think about than to put into action. The last time he had been this frightened was when Muldoon had shot him and that night in the cell.

"It's about time you calm down," Lopez said. "You were out of control before, running your mouth off and dunking my head a toilet."

Exhilaration—he hadn't felt that emotion in a long time. The last time he did was when he had touched the first dinosaur the team had captured for Dodgson—the hypsilophodon. This time he felt exhilarated at seeing Nedry's expression: scared beyond words, his eyes wide with surprise. It wasn't everyday he saw that side of Nedry—almost never. Lopez was proud of himself for bringing it out. _Well done, Raúl._ He laughed maliciously as he neared Nedry who twisted on the grass.

"Now you're as gentle as can be. Guess you're not a bad-ass when you got a good dose of rock-salt in your leg and arm." He grinned down at Nedry, thrilled at seeing him helpless.

"You're leaving this island on a stretcher," Nedry muttered. He scooted himself across the grass and leaned against the visitor center's wall. One hand pressed firmly on his bleeding thigh and he grasped his upper arm where the rock-salt wounds burned him.

"And you're leaving in a body bag," Lopez said, kicking Nedry's chest.

Nedry stared up in horror and felt his strength leave him as Lopez towered over him. As though annoyed at Nedry for daring to look him straight in the eye, Lopez savagely kicked him again.

"This looks very familiar. That time when we left you half-conscious in a puddle of your own blood. I had warned you about leaving your cell, but of course, you didn't listen."

"You did half a job that night." Nedry shivered. From fright or the cold, he didn't know.

Lopez shot him a cold glare. "You're right, we did—I wanted to be the one to finish you off. Now I finally have the pleasure of doing so."

Nedry took slow deep breaths and kept himself together. He heard a click above. Lopez loaded his gun with bullets, slowly and methodically.

"They want you dead or alive back in the States, though I'm pretty sure they'd prefer you dead."

Lopez kicked his throat and Nedry coughed, spewing out blood. Sweat drenched his body and face. He heard Lopez chortling above him. The stinging pain in his thigh and arm increased with each ragged breath he took. He felt he was dying before he had given up his spirit.

"Look on the bright side, your corpse can be donated to science." He pressed the cold barrel of the gun between Nedry's eyes. "Sweet dreams, Dennis."

Nedry closed his eyes and kept still when he felt the chill of the metal on his skin.

There was a sudden whizzing noise in the air. A tranquilizer dart embedded itself in Lopez's neck. He jolted forward from the force of the dart.

"…the hell…?"

A loud banging sound that sounded like a hammer striking a nail's head reverberated in the damp air. The second dart landed in Lopez's back. A low whimper of pain escaped his lips. Lopez's brown eyes popped out of their sockets as the dart's serum coursed through his veins. A third dart stabbed through his pants and into the skin of his leg. Lopez's finger that had been curled around the trigger loosened and he dropped the gun. Before his gun hit the grass, the final dart buried itself in his upper left arm. With the last bit of strength he had in him, Lopez mechanically twisted around to see who had shot him with the tranquilizer darts.

"The enemy of my enemy…" Lopez mumbled. He collapsed to the grass, falling face first besides Nedry.

"Is _not_ your friend," a familiar accented voice finished the sentiment.

Muldoon dropped his shotgun to the ground and rushed over to Nedry. Nedry sat back, pressed against the wall, still shaken by what was about to happen to him and shocked by what had happened to Lopez. Muldoon extended his hand and waited. Nedry tried to reach for Muldoon's hand and stood up with great difficulty. He was in too much pain to move. Muldoon knelt down and grabbed his upper arms to steady him. Nedry tried to talk, but his words were jumbled. He seemed eager to get his message out and Muldoon listened as he helped him to maintain his balance.

"I didn't mean to… sorry about Ellie that night…I'm sorry about everything…I did what I had to do…there was no other way…"

Muldoon shook his head. "You don't have to explain. I know."

Nedry sighed, relieved that Muldoon understood him. He leaned against the visitor center, trying to relax while taking in deep breaths to calm himself.

Muldoon glanced at Lopez who lay face down on the grass with four darts sticking out of his body. He wasn't worried—Lopez would be fine, but knocked out for a long time. When he finally regained conscious, he would be in too much pain to start anything. Thunder rumbled again and heavy raindrops spattered on Nedry and Muldoon who stood facing each other, not saying anything.

The alarm still rang shrilly in the visitor center.

"Why did you…?" Nedry asked, still holding his wounded arm.

Muldoon shrugged. "Just returning the favor."

Arnold and Harding rushed over from around the visitor center and stopped short when they saw Lopez's still body. Muldoon motioned them to come forward. They hesitated and glanced at the reddish black round wounds in Nedry's left arm and right thigh.

"Get him first-aid from the emergency bunker. He's been shot with rock-salt, it's not fatal. He just needs his wounds cleaned. Gerry, you know what to do," Muldoon directed.

Harding nodded and went to Nedry's left side, bringing Nedry's arm over his shoulder so that he was supporting him. Arnold watched, unable to move. Muldoon looked at him, expecting him to help. He could tell Arnold still felt torn about helping Nedry, but that he was thinking about it. Arnold's eyes flickered from Nedry and Harding to Lopez laying facedown in the grass. He glanced at the gun that Lopez was going to use before being shot down.

Muldoon was about to explain what took place. He had heard Lopez and Nedry battling in the visitor center. He knew their fight was vicious and brutal. He had been near them, when Nedry had Lopez wrapped in a chokehold. Muldoon could have taken a shot at Lopez then, but Nedry was too close and he didn't want to accidentally shoot him. So he waited until the time was right. He knew he had cut it very close when he reached them outside of the visitor center. Lopez had meant to kill Nedry if that's what it took. Muldoon wouldn't have put it past him which is why he used the darts. He wasn't even concerned about Lopez—InGen had things to do and they weren't going to waste time aiding the enemy. Nedry was a different story.

"Help him," Muldoon said quietly to Arnold.

The sky broke above them and the rain slammed down in heavy sheets. Thunder crashed and lightening lit up the sky. _It's redeeming,_ Muldoon thought.

Arnold nodded and went to Nedry's right side to support him. Nedry limped between them and together with Harding, Arnold started towards the emergency bunker. Muldoon watched them, astounded by everything. He couldn't believe it and yet it happened: Nedry had kept his promise.

Muldoon bent down to retrieve his shotgun. What now? Now that Lopez was down, Dodgson was injured—what could happen now? In answer to his question, Muldoon heard someone clapping nearby. The applause grew louder until it was directly behind him. He turned around to find the source of the clapping.

Roland Tembo.

"That was a grave mistake on your part, Robert Muldoon. You took advantage of someone who is far less skilled than you, and is beneath you, in many respects. How about you put yourself to the ultimate test—and go one on one against your match?"


	20. Winner Takes All

**"Winner Takes All"**

Robert Muldoon accepted Roland Tembo's challenge the same afternoon a torrential downpour came down upon Isla Nublar. Muldoon paced back and forth in the emergency bunker, while Gerry Harding finished dressing Dennis Nedry's wounds.

"That should be better now," Harding said, pressing firmly on the bandages on Nedry's arm. "Those were nasty shots."

"Perfect. Raúl's a cheapskate, you know? If he really wanted to finish me off, he should've done it when he had the chance." Nedry extended his left arm and examined the wound that Harding had just finished dressing. The stinging pain had lessened greatly. "Thanks, Gerry."

"Not a problem. We have to take care of your hand."

"We can get to that later." Nedry turned to Muldoon. "So are you gonna give that big-shot poacher what he wants and fight him?"

Muldoon didn't have to think about it. His mind was made up long ago. He had been waiting for the perfect opportunity ever since that evening in the control room when he had captured Tembo. Now that he thought about it, their animosity went further back. Muldoon had wanted to take on Tembo ever since their brief confrontation at the dilophosaur paddock after George Lawala's incident. This time Tembo was really asking for it. _He's practically begging for it, _Muldoon thought. He repeated the last words he heard from him earlier.

_"'How about you put yourself to the ultimate test—and go one on one against your match?'"_

"You're his match," Ray Arnold said, lighting a cigarette. "Go out there and kick his ass all over the park. You have it in you. Show him everything you got."

"I will," Muldoon said, snatching his shotgun. "He'll regret that he ever made that challenge."

"Let's go out now." Arnold opened the door to the emergency bunker. "It stopped raining a little while ago. The area will be damp and slippery."

"Which area?" Muldoon asked as he headed out with Arnold. Harding and Nedry followed behind.

"By the raptor pen." Arnold pointed with his lit cigarette. "They're waiting for us. Waiting for _you_."

Muldoon's pace quickened as he headed towards the raptor enclosure. Raindrops from the trees pattered down on him and he heard the distant rumble of thunder. The storm had moved towards the southern tip of the island.

From behind him, Arnold said, "Lopez is still down."

Muldoon didn't turn around. "I don't care about him. It's about me and Roland Tembo now."

** oOo**

Tembo watched as Muldoon approached him. He didn't approach him wearily or with caution, Tembo noticed. Muldoon's stride held purpose and confidence. He walked with his head up and shoulders back as though he had already won the fight. Tembo grinned, anticipating that he would finally have the chance to fight against InGen's precious Robert Muldoon. He loved to brawl against confident men, especially those who swore victory belonged to them before the fight had begun.

Tembo had put away many men in his lifetime. He recalled beating up a tourist with one hand tied behind his back at an outside café in his native Mombasa. The rogue tourist had been harassing a waitress and Tembo felt it necessary to put him in line. What made that particular situation better was that Tembo had put the fool in his proper place in front of his friends. This way, not only did the ridiculous tourist learn his lesson, but his friends knew better, too. Of course, the tourist was embarrassed when it was over. He was bloodied up and in total pain, but Tembo was certain the tourist would never bother anyone again.

Then there was that little scoundrel, Billy, fron UniGenCorp. Just like the tourist, he swore he could take on Tembo with one hand tied behind his back. In that scenario, Tembo had his team cuff his hand behind his back. Cuffed or tied, either way it didn't matter. The result was always the same. The memory made Tembo's grin appear ghastly as it stretched across his face. _Stupid fools, _Tembo thought. The fights always ended with the opponent on their back, looking up at Tembo in surprise, while blood leaked from their lips or nose.

It would be the same today, he knew. Muldoon would end up on his back, exhausted and injured. Beaten and humiliated. At worst, or as Tembo viewed it, _at best_…Muldoon may end up dead... The morbid thought didn't faze Tembo. He figured it wouldn't take much time to accomplish that feat. Tembo hoped Muldoon planned to put up a good fight. The only reason was so that Tembo could enjoy pummeling Muldoon into the ground. The larger and stronger the fight that Muldoon gave, the bigger the chance for Tembo to shine by beating the hell out of him. As far as Tembo was concerned, this battle was the opportunity he had been waiting for where he could display his superiority and flawlessness.

Tembo looked around and saw Lewis Dodgson, Henry Wu, George Baselton, and Howard King nearby. They were standing by the raptor enclosure's sandy area that was muddy thanks to the passing rainstorm. Wu held Nedry's laptop and kept it safe from InGen. All their information, data, and research were downloaded on it. Wu stood next to Dodgson and pointed in Muldoon's direction. Baselton and King lingered together, not wanting to involve themselves with what was about to take place. Lawala's arms were folded across his chest. His eyes briefly met with Tembo's and then he went back to staring in the distance. Tembo wondered briefly if Lawala even cared about Biosyn anymore. He always dragged his feet whenever Dodgson gave orders. Tembo snorted in amusement. He didn't want to waste another thought on Lawala (or anyone else from Biosyn) for that matter.

The InGen staff was clustered together, Tembo noticed. _Strength_ _in numbers as they call it,_ he thought. _What a pathetic joke._ Ellie Sattler and Alan Grant stood next to each other and a few feet away, Tim and Lex Murphy were with Ian Malcolm. Donald Gennaro stood with them and not with Biosyn, which was slightly shocking, but Tembo didn't let it bother him. In his eyes, Gennaro was a stupid bloodsucking lawyer and nothing more. Tembo switched his attention to Muldoon, who was approaching the area. Arnold and Harding were behind him, and Nedry wasn't too far behind. More than ever before, the InGen staff looked like a raggedy mixed-up bunch. Tembo was tempted to laugh at how ridiculous they appeared. It was too hilarious to see them huddled together. _Robert Muldoon's cheerleading squad._ He turned around when he heard his name called.

"Roland!"

It was Sonya Durant. Her black hair was tangled and bluish-purple bruises marred her face. Dried blood was smeared across her right cheek and nose. She had apparently lost her fight against Ellie. _It's shameful that she lost to the paleobotanist,_ Tembo thought. Unaware of Tembo's condescending glare, Sonya pointed in Muldoon's direction. At the same moment, Muldoon stood across from Tembo waiting, while Harding and Arnold went to stand with Grant and Ellie. Nedry lingered nearby. Sonya licked her lips nervously and pushed her hair out of her face.

"This is for Raúl."

"No." Tembo shook his head. "This is _my_ fight."

Sonya paled and backed away. Saying nothing, she went to stand next to Dodgson. Sonya turned around once to glance at Tembo, she looked as though she might cry. Tembo watched her. He knew she would make the fight be about Lopez, Biosyn—about anything except what and who it was really about. _You should know better than that, Sonya._ He refocused his attention on his prime target: Robert Muldoon.

"No weapons," Dodgson called out. "Drop your little shotgun, Robert. I'm not having you shoot darts at Roland so you can gain the advantage."

Muldoon tossed his shotgun to the ground as he came into the clearing. Grant grabbed it before anyone from Biosyn could consider taking it to use against Muldoon. He wouldn't put it past them.

"George, get Lopez here right now," Dodgson demanded. "Wake him up if he's still knocked out. Just bring him over."

Lawala nodded and left the raptor enclosure. He turned around once and saw that Biosyn and InGen had formed a ring around Tembo and Muldoon. Lawala took one last stare at them. Muldoon and Tembo were circling each other now, like two male lions defending their territory to take control of the pride. Both waited for the other to make the first strike. Lawala instinctively knew who would win the brawl. As always, he kept silent. He didn't have to say anything to speak his mind. Shaking his head, Lawala headed towards the visitor center.

"Before we start, let's add a stipulation, shall we?" Dodgson said, grinning.

"What's the stipulation?" Muldoon asked, coldly. He glared at Dodgson, unsure of what he had up his sleeve, but knowing it wasn't good.

"Winner takes all."

"Meaning what?" Malcolm asked to clarify, as he glanced at Muldoon.

"If I win," Tembo interrupted. "I take Muldoon's place as game warden of Jurassic Park."

There was a long silence as both InGen and Biosyn stared at each other.

"That's hardly a wager," Muldoon said, interrupting the silence. "I wager my position as game warden—and also Isla Nublar." He paused before actually saying his next words, realizing the impact they would have, especially on InGen. "If I lose, Jurassic Park is yours."

Shocked gasps came from InGen's side.

"Robert, what are you—" Arnold started.

"I know what I'm doing," Muldoon said, now focusing his attention on Tembo.

He dared not look at where InGen stood. He considered them to be his family, especially now. More than ever, they were everything to him and he would fight for them—with all his strength. He didn't want to see the surprise on Ellie's face or the fear on Malcolm's or Harding's face. He already knew Arnold's anxiety skyrocketed from his last statement. Grant and Nedry were probably confused by his decision, and Lex and Tim were probably deathly afraid of him losing, now that he had put everything on the line. Muldoon knew he had to be very strong now—for everyone. The entire company rested on his shoulders and although he felt backbreaking pressure of the entire situation coming to this explosive point, he forced it to strengthen him.

Dodgson's grin widened. Behind him, Biosyn snickered as though they already knew the outcome rested in their favor.

"I like how you think, Mr. Muldoon. If Tembo defeats InGen's precious game warden, then InGen's history and so is this park and island. If it's the other way around—"

"It won't be," Tembo said, cutting him off. "Don't waste your time entertaining the thought, Dr. Dodgson. There can only be one great hunter on this island—_me_."

"Strong words," Muldoon said.

Tembo pointed at him. "True words."

Both InGen and Biosyn waited for the inevitable defeat—final extinction—of the other company.

"Back it up." Muldoon's steel blue eyes narrowed as he stared him down. Clenching his fists, he raised them in the air, ready to block and throw in punches.

Tembo grinned and his cheekbones appeared more pronounced than ever. "With utmost pleasure."

Without hesitation, Tembo threw the first punch, his clenched fist colliding with Muldoon's jaw. Muldoon's face snapped to the side. Cheers erupted from the Biosyn crowd.

"BUST HIS HEAD OPEN!" Sonya yelled.

Muldoon heard her obnoxious voice at the same moment Tembo slammed him in the face. Right away, the Biosyn team started making a racket, whooping and hollering. He knew their behavior was deliberately being done to distract him. No one from InGen raised their voices even as Tembo started throwing his fists in a crazed fury. Muldoon blocked them easily, but Tembo was swift and persistent. Every time Muldoon blocked one, another fist was aiming for his face or chest in a matter of seconds. He felt he would be worn out by the time they finished this first battle exchange. Breathing hard and backing up, Muldoon pulled back his fist and punched Tembo in the nose, followed by a shot across the face. A hideous cracking noise followed. Tembo croaked, surprised from Muldoon's sudden reaction. Before he could recover from the last blow, Muldoon seized the opportunity to deliver a severe upper-cut which sent Tembo off his feet and slamming to the ground on his back in the thick sand.

A heavy silence descended upon the crowd.

Tembo sat up and wiped his nose. Nothing in his body language betrayed that he was in pain. Thick clumps of wet sand fell off his clothes. Muldoon watched him, keeping a neutral expression. It would've been easy to appear satisfied, but early on, Muldoon decided to maintain the cold detached exterior he was known for. This way, Tembo wouldn't be able to read any emotions from him and use it to his advantage. Bringing the hand in front of him, Tembo's eyebrows shot to the sky when he saw the blood smear. He had been dazed, but now he was furious.

"Nice one, Robert Muldoon." Tembo clenched his fist with the blood smear. "That'll be the only time you shed my blood today."

Tembo rose to his feet and Sonya and Wu started cheering again.

"FUCK HIM UP!" Wu shouted, pointing at Muldoon.

Muldoon glanced at him, still in disbelief that Wu used to be a trusted co-worker. He didn't have a chance to process Wu's betrayal right then. Tembo bounded towards him, cutting off the distance between them. His aggression was turned all the way up, like a radio to the highest decibel. Tembo shot his right leg into the air, executing a roundhouse style kick. Muldoon grabbed his ankle, ready to swing him around, when Tembo jumped and kicked the back of his head with his free left leg.

Black streamers flew in Muldoon's vision as he collapsed backwards to the ground. He was on his back when he saw Tembo circling him. He collected himself, trying to ignore the police sirens ringing in his head. Tembo's leg flew out and smashed his neck. Muldoon gurgled as a coppery taste invaded his mouth. Tembo's next vicious kick struck him directly in the face.

For an instant, Muldoon felt he was in space looking down at himself and Tembo. It was as if he had removed himself from his body and was watching the fight like a bystander from InGen and Biosyn. He wasn't in front of the raptor enclosure fighting for his life and InGen's. Muldoon vaguely wondered if he had experienced this same floating sensation when fighting against Nedry. He didn't remember and he realized it didn't matter. Fear and sweat became friends and drenched him completely. Muldoon coughed and twisted his neck to bring life back into it. He had to get up—and fast—before Tembo took advantage of his prone position. He was halfway up from the ground when a muscular arm snaked around his neck.

"You can't stay down, can you?"

Tembo.

Now he choked out Muldoon, pressing his arm around Muldoon's neck. Muldoon's throat vibrated like a mini tremor as he swallowed desperately for the little air he had. To add more pressure, Tembo put his hand on the back of Muldoon's neck, forcing the throat into the arm he was using to choke him. The joy that raced through his system was beyond exhilarating and Tembo was reminded again of why he was an expert mercenary. Fear, even a drop of it from his prey, was enough to send him into a wild triumphant frenzy. Because that's how Tembo looked at this fight: he was the hunter and Muldoon was the hunted. When it was over, Robert Muldoon would be his first human acquisition. He would boast about it back home in Mombasa.

Muldoon's first instinct, as any man who's being choked from behind, was to pound on Tembo's arm, but he knew that would do absolutely nothing. He could hear dim shouts as though he was trapped in a long hallway and the InGen staff was on the other side calling out to him. _Finally, they're saying something,_ he thought. Muldoon closed his eyes. Tembo's hot breath flooded his senses and his arm pulled tightly around Muldoon's neck.

Inch by inch, and using the Grant's, Harding's, and Ellie's shouts to encourage him; Muldoon got to his feet so that he was standing upright. Tim and Lex were cheering on Muldoon and Malcolm was shouting too, or it sounded like Malcolm. Muldoon didn't know anymore and behind him, he could tell Tembo had stood up along with him as though helping him, yet he still maintained the excruciating chokehold from behind. Tembo started walking backwards and Muldoon could feel the heels of his boots drag across the muddied sand, leaving tracks behind. He opened his eyes once and saw a patch of wet sand before him. Muldoon knew he could use Tembo's weight against him to counter the rear chokehold. He would have to muster all his strength and act fast since his energy was being zapped with each passing second that Tembo choked him.

Muldoon bent his knees and quickly spread his feet apart, putting distance between him and Tembo. Reaching as far as he could, he grabbed Tembo's collar and forced his chin downwards into the muscular arm wrapped around his neck. Keeping his grip on Tembo's clothing, Muldoon bent forward and locked his knees. Behind him, Tembo cursed as he realized what was about to happen, but was powerless to stop it. Muldoon hauled Tembo over his shoulder with great heaving effort, slamming him to the ground. Tembo landed hard on his back and lay stunned while Muldoon spun around and straddled him. Wasting no time, Muldoon sent clenched fists and pounded nonstop. Tembo's face swam in blood.

"Bloody ambition gets the best of you, doesn't it?" Muldoon growled.

He stopped for a second to catch his breath when suddenly Tembo reared his head up, smacking it against Muldoon's head. A loud clapping sound erupted as the two skulls knocked against each other. Muldoon grasped his forehead and felt Tembo push him off so that he was lying on the ground, his cheek pressed to the muddy sand. His head felt like it had been smashed against a brick. He saw Tembo was already on his feet. Death danced in his eyes. Muldoon got to his feet, shakily, and then stood firm. They advanced each other again, more wearily than before.

"Have you decided how you want to be remembered?" Tembo asked, sneering. "Hopefully not for those hideous scars."

"I'll be remembered," Muldoon said between heavy breaths, "as the man who put you in the hospital."

"I haven't forgotten that threat."

"And you never will."

Muldoon launched a punch and Tembo caught his wrist. Holding it in a vise-like grip, Tembo quickly maneuvered himself around so that he brought Muldoon's arm backwards and forced it towards his opposite shoulder. Taken by surprise, Muldoon groaned in pain and fought to free himself, but Tembo finished by bending his wrist towards the elbow locking it in position. An earth-shattering crack like a baseball bat grand-slamming a ball out of a stadium echoed in the area. Muldoon clenched his teeth and sweat poured down his forehead.

"Hurt?" Tembo forced Muldoon's head downward and brought up his knee to strike him in the face. "I should've brought a box of tissues so that you could weep in the corner."

Tembo released him, shoving him away as though Muldoon had a contagious disease and he didn't want to risk being infected.

"DISLOCATE HIS OTHER SHOULDER!" Sonya shouted.

"SHUT UP!" Harding yelled in response.

Tembo went over to where Dodgson stood and sent a violent glare in the direction where the InGen staff watched. Meanwhile, Sonya and Harding shouted insults, trying to be heard over each other.

Muldoon wiped the blood leaking from his lips and nose. His shoulder screamed with lightning hot pain, but he wouldn't stop—he couldn't stop—until Tembo was out of commission. The sharp pain running up and down his entire arm didn't matter right now. He couldn't worry about that. Muldoon kept his eyes on Tembo, knowing full well he had something up his sleeve. He forced himself to stand up at his full height and to keep battling for InGen. _He fights dirty,_ Muldoon thought, _as poachers always do in the bush. This won't be any different._ Just as he predicted, Tembo turned his back on him and the Biosyn teamed cheered. Muldoon knew he brought something out—

Before he had any chance to avoid the flying bola in his direction, Muldoon felt his arms pinned at his sides. The cord from the bola wrapped around his arms, pinching and tearing into his skin, and the heavy stones at the ends of the cord weighed him down. Muldoon struggled to break his arms out of the bola's strong cords to no avail.

Tembo dropkicked him and Muldoon's face slammed into the ground, exploding with pain. He heard his nose crunch. A tooth in the top row was ripped out of place and he felt it slip down his throat before he could heave it up. Muldoon rolled over so that his back was pressed against the ground. He blocked out the sizzling striking pain radiating from his dislocated right shoulder. Vomit rose in his throat and he shut his eyes to regain control of himself, since the situation was already beyond him. It was nearly impossible to trap peace in his mind and his fear gave way to terror.

Too much was happening…too much was depending on him…too much was at stake….

Tembo raised a foot and planted it down on Muldoon's falling and rising chest. Tembo felt sheer joy when he did this. It was the famous "poacher pose" as Nedry had described it. Muldoon was the animal he had gunned down.

"The famous Robert Muldoon under my heel—exactly where he belongs." Tembo kicked him in the stomach and chortled loudly when the InGen staff shouted in protest.

Muldoon lay supine on the ground. He had to remain calm despite the fact that Tembo had the upper hand. He breathed hard, trying to maintain air circulation although the bola tightened around his chest like a boa constrictor crushing its prey whenever he inhaled air. Muldoon closed his eyes. He opened them when he heard Grant and Ellie shouting at him to not give up.

"GET UP, ROBERT!"

They were joined by Arnold. "GET ON YOUR FEET NOW, DAMN IT!"

On the other end, Sonya cheered for his demise.

"TAKE CARE OF HIM, ROLAND! KICK HIS SORRY ASS!"

Muldoon glanced around, his vision sharper than before. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Nedry, bruised and holding his injured hand. Nedry actually looked worried. If Muldoon didn't know any better, he'd think that Nedry would enter the fight and pull Muldoon to his feet—give him a helping hand. Muldoon knew Nedry wouldn't do that because Dodgson would use it as an excuse to give Tembo the crowning victory. Gennaro paced back and forth. Harding had a blank stare in his eyes as though he were hypnotized by the fight. Lex stood with her arm around Tim's shoulder as they watched, trying not to be afraid of the final outcome. Malcolm stood next to them and joined Grant, Arnold, and Ellie in encouraging Muldoon.

Dodgson shouted, "YOU HAVE THE FUCKING VICTORY! FINISH HIM OFF!"

That set everyone off from InGen and Biosyn. Everyone was yelling and shouting now, their voices mingling and getting lost in the air so that Muldoon was unable to decipher who was who. And above everyone, he heard Tembo's footsteps as he approached him. Like the tyrannosaur that night, Tembo's footsteps sounded like thunder booming. Muldoon knew it was his frantic state that exaggerated the sound. He took a deep breath and struggled to pull his arms apart to break free of the bola. It wouldn't budge, not even an inch.

Tembo leaned down and grabbed Muldoon's shoulders, lifting him up so that he was standing and then swiftly delivered a high kick to his face. Muldoon crashed down like a sack of flour, blood spraying from his nose. His back slammed into the ground and his head pounded painfully. It felt as though his skull would crack in half from the impact. Muldoon closed his eyes again and forced himself to take deep slow breaths. He had to take back his composure, and especially his dignity. Tembo had stolen both from him. _It's time to use his flaw against him,_ Muldoon thought quickly. He sensed the fight was almost over—and he knew for sure who would come out victorious.

Tembo reached down to a strap wrapped around his right thigh and removed an African dagger from its leather sheath. The handle was made from carved wood and the silver blade was sharp.

"In honor of you, Robert Muldoon."

This was it. One neat slice across Muldoon's neck and it was over. If anyone from InGen thought he was taking a benevolent turn by cutting Muldoon free from the bola, then they were sadly mistaken.

It was time to finalize the fight, to make the kill.

Tembo had never pictured himself as a murderer and he wasn't about to, not even after Muldoon choked on his own blood. It was about the survival of the fittest. The strongest._ Muldoon's certainly not the strongest,_ he thought smugly. _It'll be a pleasure to eliminate the pompous game warden, once and for all._ Tembo lifted the dagger into the air, triumphant. The silver steel of the dagger gleamed dangerously as he circled Muldoon who lay still on the ground. He decided to taunt the InGen staff with what he was about to do.

"I can't decide whether you should live or die." Tembo knew he'd be able to provoke a reaction from InGen with that line alone.

"ROBERT—GET UP—NOW!" Ellie screamed. "GET UP!"

"Robert…please…you have to!" Arnold pleaded desperately, hoping that Muldoon would react with the tough and ferociousness he was known and respected for.

"I've made my decision." Tembo swaggered around Muldoon's prone form once more and wondered what InGen would do with Muldoon's body. Maybe Biosyn could force them to toss the corpse into the tyrannosaur paddock to see if the queen tyrant scavenged after dead meat. "Should be fascinating to find out," Tembo said, a wide grin spreading across his face.

He knelt down so he was directly over Muldoon, the dagger raised high in the air, when Muldoon's eyes popped wide open. Tembo barely had time to realize that Muldoon wasn't unconscious, but very much awake, when he felt painful pressure on both sides of his neck.

Muldoon locked his legs around Tembo's neck and flipped him over. The dagger flew out of Tembo's hand and landed several feet away. There was a sudden burst of cheering from InGen, but Muldoon was saturated in the moment and couldn't hear them. He released the hold and Tembo landed on his back, disoriented and dizzy. Tembo got to his feet, wobbly at first, and then regained his momentum as he charged towards Muldoon, who had gotten halfway up. Muldoon watched as Tembo brought up his clenched fists, ready to pound his face to a pulp. Muldoon went back down to the ground and swung his legs outward causing Tembo to trip, his face hitting the ground with a nasty thud.

"Son of a bitch," Tembo growled as he rose slowly. Blood and mud were smeared across his face like war paint. He jumped back to his feet at the same time Muldoon did.

Tembo was amazed at Muldoon's balance despite the fact that his arms were pinned at the sides. He nodded in acknowledgement at Muldoon, a gesture he meant both as awe and scorn.

"You're quite skilled, even more than I gave you credit for. You're actually a challenge even without both your hands."

"That beats one hand cuffed behind your back, doesn't it?"

Tembo's eyes widened with rage and he charged at Muldoon again, only this time, he seemed to have lost his coordination as he nearly slipped and fell. This was the perfect opportunity to take advantage and Muldoon did, sending a high kick to Tembo's jaw. Tembo crashed to the ground, his hands digging into the sand as he struggled to his feet. Muldoon dropped to the ground, scooted over quickly, and scissored his legs around Tembo's neck.

Tembo's arms flew to his neck to pry off Muldoon's legs, but it was too late. Muldoon locked his legs tighter and held them firmly in place. Tembo desperately clawed at Muldoon's flesh and punched his knees. He sputtered while Muldoon stared into the distance in fierce concentration. He grew light-headed from lack of oxygen and his neck felt like it would crush from Muldoon's iron vise grip. The sky became the land and the land became the sky as his vision twisted and turned like a roller coaster. His grunting and struggling did not soften Muldoon and Tembo knew it was over as his vision blurred.

"Time to put this bloody poacher out of his self-absorbed misery," Muldoon muttered.

He gritted his teeth and went in for the kill. Rolling on his side, Muldoon slammed Tembo's head into the ground. A sickening crack that could twist a person's intestines into permanent knots echoed from Tembo's head. Once he heard it, Muldoon released his grip and kicked Tembo away. Tembo's limp body hit the ground with a soft thud. His face was a furious red.

A long silence passed and then Muldoon could hear everyone screaming all at once. This time, he recognized the voices.

"WHAT THE HELL DID YOU DO TO HIM?" That sounded like Sonya.

"YOU DID IT! YOU KNOCKED HIM OUT!" Harding was straining his vocal cords.

Feet pattered around Muldoon and he saw a rush of legs and clothes all from the Biosyn staff as they rushed over to where Tembo lay unconscious with reddish and bluish purple marks on the sides of his neck. Baselton and King surrounded Tembo while Sonya knelt down next to him. They blocked Muldoon's view and he was thankful he didn't have to see the man who almost put him out of commission permanently.

Joyous shouts and cheering came from InGen. Muldoon turned his head towards them. Tim and Lex were jumping up and down. Ellie was hugging Malcolm. Gennaro appeared emotionless as he watched InGen revel in Muldoon's victory. Harding and Grant were talking fast and gesturing wildly with their hands. Arnold grabbed Tembo's dagger and cut the bola's cords, releasing Muldoon. Muldoon slowly got to his feet with Nedry's assistance. He took a few uneasy steps, clutching his dislocated shoulder, and then straightened out, shaking himself alert. He caught the look of pure shock on Nedry's face. _Wow__, _Nedry mouthed as he held his own throat. He was astounded by what Muldoon had done to Tembo and maybe even a little afraid. Muldoon gestured him to come over and stand with the InGen staff.

"Wow," he said again, pointing at Tembo who lay unconscious. "I've seen crazy stuff done in the big house, but this tops it all. Thank God you never did that on me."

"I've considered it," Muldoon said. "Not once, but twice."

"You can consider it all you like, you're not doing that to me. Wow…that's sick, Robert. I didn't know…wow…"

Muldoon shook his head, trying not to laugh at Nedry's reaction. Something about it was funny, even though he knew Nedry was extremely serious.

"How's your shoulder?" Nedry asked.

Muldoon shrugged as though he had lost a ping-pong game. "It can be popped back into place before the day's over. I'm not worried about it." He pointed at Tembo. "You should be more worried about him."

Nedry laughed. "I'm not crying tears for him. Not even crocodile ones."

"Me neither."

Everyone from InGen gathered around Muldoon as though he had scored the winning home run for the World Series and wanted his autograph.

"That was awesome, Mr. Muldoon!" Tim said, excitedly.

Next to him, Lex nodded. "You practically killed him!"

"It was either me or him," Muldoon said. He smiled at Tim and Lex and patted them on their shoulders, reassuring them. "I wasn't going to let him have the satisfaction of taking my position and letting them have this island and park."

"Grandpa would be proud," Lex said.

"I know." Muldoon felt his eyes sting with unshed tears. "More than anything else, this fight was for him, your grandfather."

Tim and Lex smiled in response, grateful beyond words. They looked up as the adults gathered around Muldoon.

"That was something, Robert," Harding said. "You did InGen real proud today."

Muldoon nodded, acknowledging Harding's encouragement.

"YOU DID IT!" Ellie shouted, throwing her arms around Muldoon, hugging him. "Now they have to leave!"

"Absolutely," Muldoon said. "They've worn out their welcome."

"Their time's expired," Malcolm said. "Time for them to make their grand exit."

"You alright?" Arnold asked. "That was one helluva move you pulled on Roland."

"I'm bloody fantastic." Muldoon pointed at the Biosyn team. "And I'll be even better once they get the hell off _OUR_ island."

**oOo**

The Biosyn team surrounded the defeated Tembo like buzzards staking out a new corpse. Dodgson was frozen with shock, still in disbelief of what Muldoon had done—he had knocked Tembo out in mere seconds. Tembo showed no signs of gaining consciousness anytime soon as he lay on the ground facedown.

Dodgson found himself growing irritated by the minute. He was so angry that he had forgotten about his sprained ankle. He directed his new found rage at his own team, rather than InGen, for the first time in a long while. They milled around Tembo, unsure of what to do. If Dodgson was truly attuned with his staff, he would've known they were afraid to move him because of the injury he had just sustained. The bottomline was that Biosyn had lost and now that stipulation was to be put into action. They were outnumbered by the InGen staff and no one was doing anything useful.

"What the hell are you waiting for?" Dodgson ordered, pointing at Tembo. "Pick him up and get him out of here!"

"Lew, his neck…we don't want to risk moving him," Sonya said. She knelt down next to Tembo, gently prodding him.

"Risk it. We're taking him to the emergency bunker to get looked over by Dr. Harding. Move him—NOW!"

Sonya sighed. There was no sense in trying to talk sense into Dodgson. She knew he could be blind to everything except what he wanted at that present moment. It didn't matter who he inconvenienced. She looked around her and saw King quietly sobbing. She gestured to him to come over. King shook his head and moved away from her.

"Snap out of it!" Dodgson said, marching over to King. "Stop pissing fucking tears! I'm not doing this with you!"

"George?" Sonya turned around, searching for him.

Baselton came over and gently lifted Tembo off the ground. Wu came over on the other end and looped Tembo's arm around his shoulder and held him in place.

"Check his neck!" Sonya said.

"He's fine…he's going to be okay," Baselton said, feeling Tembo's neck muscles and gently pressing for pressure. "It's not broken. He's just knocked out."

Dodgson motioned them to head towards the visitor center. "Where's Lawala? Wasn't he supposed to bring back Raúl?"

"He never came back," Wu murmured, "and he didn't bring back Raúl." He spoke quietly, as though to speak any louder would draw out Dodgson's rage.

Dodgson drew in his breath sharply as jumbled thoughts rushed through his mind. "That means he's still—"

Just then, Lopez stumbled into the area where everyone was gathered. He limped over to Dodgson, and pointed at Nedry and the InGen staff.

"Lew…Dr. Dodgson…George went…" Lopez could barely talk; he was still sore from his fight against Nedry and Muldoon's darts. His eyes widened when he saw Tembo being supported by Wu and Baselton on both sides. Tembo's head hung limply between his shoulders. "What happened…?"

Dodgson's heart plummeted. Not only was Tembo out of commission, but Lopez couldn't do anything as he was nursing his wounds. _Sonya's standing on her two feet, but she's in no shape to bust InGen's balls,_ Dodgson thought. Ellie had rattled the hell out of her earlier. Everything was happening so fast—too fast—he was losing InGen like sand slipping through open fingers. Another unwelcome thought barged into his mind: _what the hell happened to Lawala?_ Fury burned inside him and he used this new energy to regain control of the situation—or at least attempt to.

"Henry, go help Raúl. I'll take care of Roland—no, better yet, Howard, get your ass over here and support Roland! Stop crying and get over here this instant! We're taking him to the emergency bunker to get looked at."

"No, you're not. You're leaving this island for good. You and your damn group."

Dodgson turned around when he heard the steel voice that objected to his commands.

"Who the—?"

"George Baselton," Gennaro said, his eyes narrowing into a hateful stare.

Baselton looked in his direction, mouth agape.

"You're fired. Get the hell off this island."

Sharp gasps could be heard from the InGen staff.

"He's finally come to his senses," Dodgson heard Arnold say.

Gennaro continued on as though he hadn't heard Arnold's comment. He pointed at Dodgson like the bony finger of Death that has selected someone's time to expire.

"Take your despicable staff off this island. Not in five minutes, not in an hour, not tomorrow, not next week, or next month. _Now_."

Dodgson gestured towards Tembo and glanced at the sky. Gray thunderclouds still hovered above the island, threatening another downpour. Thunder rumbled in the distance.

"You can't do this."

"I can and I am."

"We're going to the emergency bunker."

Gennaro shook his head. "You're not going there or anywhere else on Isla Nublar. You're leaving right now and never coming back." He turned back to Baselton. "George, don't even think of going within a foot of InGen's headquarters at Palo Alto. I'll take court action against you. You're not allowed here or at any InGen facility. Get the hell off this island." Gennaro turned to Muldoon and Arnold who stood nearby. "Make sure they leave this island, Robert. There's a supply boat leaving shortly at the east dock. Ray, I'll radio them from the control room to let them know we have people leaving the island that need to get to the mainland. From there, they can find their way back to the States."

Dodgson glared hatefully at Gennaro, but said nothing. He was too furious to speak.

"We need a gas-powered jeep," Wu said.

Arnold shook his head. "Walk it." Thunder rumbled, punctuating his statement. The storm steered towards the southern tip of Isla Nublar.

"Tim, Lex, you two can come with me," Gennaro said. "You too, Dr. Harding. We're going to call that supply boat right now before they leave."

Tim and Lex glanced at each other and then at Gennaro, hesitating, yet curious about this sudden change. Could this be the same Donald Gennaro who had betrayed InGen to help Biosyn just to see the gates of Jurassic Park open to the world? Tim wasn't going to listen to him, but Lex heard a sincere note in Gennaro's voice. That alone gave her a tiny ray of hope that maybe Arnold was right: Gennaro had finally come to his senses.

"Come with us. It's over now. I promise as soon as we can, we'll visit your grandfather and I'll go with you." Lex went to Gennaro and Tim followed her. He put his hands on their shoulders, protecting them. "First things first. We're ridding the island of this filthy trash. Robert and Ray, I'll leave that to you."

Muldoon and Arnold nodded and turned towards the Biosyn team.

"We're going to the control room," Gennaro said. "Take care of them. This is for Hammond and everyone associated with InGen."

"Wait a minute," Dodgson said. "Why don't we negotiate? That's what lawyers are good at right?" He chuckled and looked around, expecting his team to follow suite. They didn't and he was met with eerie silence. "We can both run Jurassic Park. Take turns, you know? We can operate on an 'A' and 'B' day schedule. On 'A' days, its InGen's turn to take care of the park and on 'B' days, 'B' for Biosyn—"

A shotgun blast interrupted Dodgson. He turned towards the sound and saw Grant holding Muldoon's shotgun, a dark scowl written across his face.

"We don't negotiate," Grant said. "Get the hell off our island. _Now._"

Dodgson eyed him, warily. There was no telling with Grant. He remembered the last time he had an encounter with Grant. Severely underestimating him had proved to be a huge mistake—one that Dodgson didn't intend to make again. He gestured for his group to come forward. They stood around, scattered, completely divided. Nobody backed him up. They accepted their fate without question.

Several minutes passed before anyone from Biosyn approached him. Only Sonya took one step towards him. Fed up, Dodgson went to them, trying not to put too much weight on his sprained ankle. Wu supported Lopez, holding his arm and waist, while Lopez limped and took heavy steps. King and Baselton held Tembo on either side and moved slowly with him. Dodgson sighed as he scanned their faces. Tembo was out of it, Lopez was badly injured, Sonya wasn't all there, King was sobbing, and Baselton was no longer associated with InGen. Wu looked as if he'd pissed his pants. Lawala was nowhere to be found... Dodgson bit his lip and tasted his own blood. _This can't be fucking happening, _he thought.

They had lost. They were done. They were finished.

And as Gennaro and Grant had eloquently put it: Biosyn had to leave Isla Nublar.

"Do as they say," Sonya whispered. "There's not a damn thing we can do. Roland's knocked out, Raúl's busted up, who the hell knows where George went…we're finished here." She glanced at the InGen staff and turned her back on them, not wanting to appear confrontational. "You know it, Lew."

Dodgson stared straight ahead, refusing to acknowledge what Sonya said. He then turned to his team that he had assembled. Once threatening and powerful, they were now broken and useless. _Pathetic, _Dodgson thought. The hatred he felt could consume him entirely. And it was hatred at his very own Biosyn cohorts. He didn't even want to steal a glance at InGen. They were probably gloating at their defeat. He had no choice...

After what seemed like an eternity, Dodgson finally nodded. "All aboard."

He started towards the maintenance road and his team followed him in heavy silence. Dodgson glanced over his shoulder and saw Arnold and Muldoon walking behind them to make sure they left. Grant, Ellie, and Malcolm weren't too far off and were present as extra support in case Dodgson or anyone on his team tried anything smart. Nedry waved at Dodgson and grinned.

"_It's so hard to say good-bye_," Nedry sang.

"You have no idea," Dodgson grumbled. "You stupid son of a bitch."

* * *

**Author's Notes:** Hi, everyone! Just wanted to say thanks to InGenWorker for the suggestion. I hope you liked the spot where I placed the lyrics. I had considered putting it in the last chapter, but decided it fit here better. Nedry's "It's so hard to say good-bye" comes from the song of the very same title sung by Boyz II Men. It's a R&B classic from the 1990s. This fic really is coming to a close. Thank you for your continued readership and see you at the next chapter!

**-Sassy Lil Scorpio**


	21. Picking Up the Pieces

**Picking Up the Pieces**

Forty-five minutes after Donald Gennaro requested for the supply boat to wait for the new passengers, the group finally arrived at the east dock. Apparently, Gennaro was serious about Lewis Dodgson and his team leaving Isla Nublar for good. During the final long walk, Dodgson had convinced himself that Gennaro was bluffing. After all, Dodgson had managed to convince Gennaro that it was in InGen's best interest to let Biosyn run the park. But as they came closer, Dodgson realized that his team's defeat and resulting departure was a reality.

Rows of palm trees blew softly in the wind and the dirt road was muddy from the recent rainfall. Although part of the storm had cleared up, the ocean remained wild and waves slapped the dock, rocking the supply boat. It wouldn't be an easy trip to the mainland and it would probably take twice as long to make the journey due to the bad weather.

Dodgson scowled as he turned to his team. "Get the hell on!"

He gestured angrily at the supply boat, impatient at his team's slow pace. Sonya Durant helped Roland Tembo with George Baselton's assistance. _This is fucking ridiculous,_ Dodgson thought. _ Roland never got a last look at this island._ Howard King scuttled aboard without taking a last glance behind him. Sonya came back down and helped Raúl Lopez.

"Thanks, Sonya," he mumbled as he limped aboard.

Lopez turned around once to catch his final glimpse at Isla Nublar. He had dreamed of being there for the longest time and it had morphed into an insane nightmare. When he got to the deck, he scanned the dock area and saw Dennis Nedry standing between Robert Muldoon and Ray Arnold. Grinning, Nedry popped up his left middle finger and waved it around. Lopez clenched his fists, shaking his head. _Lew should've listened to me…that little traitor scumbag did us in. _He wanted to kill Nedry more than ever, but he was in no shape to lift a fist against him. He didn't even have the energy to tell him off. Lopez turned away, refusing to give Nedry the satisfaction at seeing him broken and unable to fend for himself or Biosyn.

The captain stuck his head out, checking to make sure all the passengers had boarded. There were only two that had not boarded yet: Henry Wu and Lewis Dodgson.

"You're making a huge mistake, Dennis," Dodgson said, as he took one step towards the supply boat. A cold wind blew around him. He didn't feel it at all. "I was willing to help you, but you decided to be a sneaky little dirtbag and go back to lousy InGen."

"Shove it," Nedry said. "I'm not your little lapdog anymore. Maybe you didn't get the message the first time around."

"I did."

"Good."

"You'll miss your boat if you keep running your foul mouth," Muldoon said, pointing behind Dodgson.

"That would be a 'bloody' shame, wouldn't it?" Dodgson sneered.

"Yeah, it really would," Arnold said.

"Hold on." Malcolm came forward. "Dr. Dodgson?"

Dodgson was halfway onto the boat when he turned back around. "Dr. Malcolm?" His mocking tone was obvious.

Malcolm pulled back his clenched fist and slammed Dodgson's jaw. Dodgson's face swung, spewing out blood.

"I've wanted to do that for a long time. Consider it a walk in the park compared to what you really deserve."

"Ah yes, Dr. Malcolm. Linear equations and chaos theory. Bullshit boyfriend to sappy Dr. Sattler. You'll be sorely missed."

"Glad to hear it," Malcolm said. He turned to Muldoon, Arnold, and Nedry. "He's all yours." Malcolm returned to where Grant and Ellie were waiting.

Dodgson glared at him as he walked away and then refocused on Muldoon and Arnold. "You haven't seen the last of me. I didn't get InGen this time, but I will another time. You can bet your stupid asses on that one. I'll blow up this island—you won't even know what hit you!"

"We'll be waiting," Muldoon said.

"Don't hold your breath." Dodgson limped onto the supply boat with Sonya's assistance and gestured for Wu to follow. "Then again, hold it for about ten minutes, so that you can all drop dead in your pathetic misery."

"Only after you," Nedry said, flashing an obnoxious grin.

"HENRY!" Arnold called out as Wu boarded the boat with Nedry's laptop. He didn't know if it was desperation at the last minute that made him reach out to Wu, but he felt he had to try. "It's not too late. You don't have to leave with them!"

Wu turned around to face him. His dark eyes met Arnold's and held them.

"Henry, you don't have to leave with them," Arnold pleaded again. "Do the right thing and come back to InGen! You know it's where you belong!"

"Let him go, it's not like he's Dr. Huang, all virtuous and whatever," Nedry said.

"Dennis!" Muldoon interrupted Nedry, when he saw the mixture of hurt and fury on Arnold's face. "Right now's not the time—"

"It's the perfect time. If he won't admit to himself that he's wrong, what makes you think he'll admit it to you? Why are you even wasting your time trying?"

This question was directed at Arnold, who glared angrily at Nedry now.

"Because it's what we should've done when you turned your back on us," Arnold said. His voice was firm, but there was also a note of regret or sorrow mixed in. He appealed to Wu one last time. "Please, Henry...think about what you're doing. We're your friends, we've been through so much as a company, as a team...as a family."

Wu remained impassive.

"Come back—damn it, don't go with them!"

It was impossible to decipher what Wu was feeling or thinking. Whether he was touched by Arnold appealing to him, or repulsed by his pleading was a mystery. Arnold thought maybe he was regretful of his decision to go with Biosyn. He didn't look thrilled or saddened. Then—Wu took a step towards InGen. He remained standing there, facing them, still on the supply boat. He briefly looked over his shoulder at Dodgson, and then back at Arnold.

Upon hearing Arnold's reaction, Nedry immediately silenced. Muldoon noticed this right away. He also noticed the thoughtful expression on Nedry's face...as though he had wished someone had called him back before he had gotten entangled with Dodgson. Or perhaps, instead of calling the police that fateful day, Arnold and Muldoon could've talked to Nedry and figure out why he had stolen from InGen and betrayed John Hammond in the first place. _Maybe if someone had reached out to him...or had reached him in time...maybe none of us would be standing here right now, _Muldoon thought.

He would never know.

Wu turned his back on them and continued onward, the last of the Biosyn team to board the vessel. He had made his decision.

Arnold sighed. He dug in his pants for his lighter, and when he found it, he threw it down on the ground.

"Let him go," Nedry said. His tone was softer this time. "I know you want him to do the right thing...it's just that if he wants to come back, he will, but not on your time or terms."

"On his?" Arnold asked, turning around.

Nedry nodded. "Exactly."

**oOo**

Several feet behind them, Malcolm stood with Grant and Ellie. He observed Nedry's exchange with Dodgson and Wu's final stance as he boarded the supply boat. A moment later, the supply boat departed from the east dock, taking the Biosyn team with them. Malcolm never took his eyes off the supply boat. It seemed almost too good to be true that their enemies had finally been removed—even it was through force, failure, or a fight to the near-death of one opponent. _Dennis really kept his promise, _Malcolm thought. _He turned Dodgson's ambition to own Jurassic Park into a miserable failure and Roland finally got what was coming to him thanks to Robert. _As Malcolm thought about it, he knew everything was going to be okay. The park staff had a lot of rebuilding to do—and explaining to do when Hammond returned from the hospital. For right now, they needed time to heal.

Malcolm noticed that Muldoon, Nedry, and Arnold stayed near the dock, watching it leave. They didn't turn around right away, ready to depart and head back to the visitor center. Instead, they stood together, the wind blowing around them. They were encased in their own time and space. Grant and Ellie were about to join them when Malcolm shook his head.

"Give them their space," he said. "They need this moment. It's been a long time coming."

"Reconciliation?" Grant asked.

"Yes, and theirs is long overdue."

**oOo**

Arnold, Muldoon, and Nedry stood together on the east dock, watching Dodgson and his team leave the island for good. The supply boat picked up speed as it sailed further away. There were no words expressed between them. They weren't ready to break the silence yet, and so they remained quiet as the reality of their victory settled in. The relief experienced by all three was indescribable. After several minutes, when the supply boat was just a speck on the horizon, Arnold and Muldoon finally faced each other. One thing was for certain:

It was finally over.

Arnold took one step and Muldoon stepped forward. Muldoon could see the tension melt in Arnold's eyes and Arnold could see the friend he had in Muldoon before everything had turned upside-down on Isla Nublar. Silently, they hugged each other, as good friends do after surviving a severe catastrophe together that only they could understand and speak about. When Muldoon released Arnold, both men felt something click back into place. They didn't have a name for the "something", but it was an inner-knowing that things would go back to what they were before, or more so, that everything would be far better.

"My friend has finally returned," Arnold said.

Muldoon smiled. "He was always here."

Arnold sighed and then went to Nedry. He had walked to the edge of the dock and now stood by himself and watched the supply boat disappear from the horizon. Arnold placed a gentle hand on his shoulder. Nedry turned to them, still cradling his injured right hand. The bandages had been ripped away by Lopez, revealing black and blue bruises on Nedry's hand and fingers.

"I thought you could never redeem yourself..." Arnold spoke, slowly. He understood what he was saying, but it still took all his strength to say what needed to be said. "I was wrong. You kept your promise in the best way you knew how…I know it's been one helluva trip ever since that day down here."

Arnold extended his hand, shocked by his gesture, and not knowing what to expect. To his surprise, Nedry shook it awkwardly with his injured hand.

Muldoon came forward. "I think it's time for all three of us to start over," he said. "Or at least, pick up the pieces from that day. What do you think?"

Arnold and Muldoon glanced at each other and then at Nedry, who for the first time that they could recall, remained silent, as though he was unsure of how to respond to Muldoon's suggestion. He simply nodded.

"Sure," he mumbled.

"Let's go back," Arnold said, gesturing towards Ellie, Grant, and Malcolm, who stood twenty feet away, waiting patiently.

Muldoon, Nedry, and Arnold started back towards them, their steps slow and deliberate. When they finally reached them, Ellie stood holding Grant's hand, and Malcolm had his arm around her shoulder.

"Ready?" Ellie asked.

"Yeah…" Muldoon looked around him as though double-checking for something missing or out of place. There was something or someone that had been left behind on the island. He instinctively knew it, but didn't know what or who it was. _I'll figure it out later,_ he thought. "Let's go."

They started heading to the visitor center, taking the maintenance road, as the sun dipped behind the jungle's canopy.

**oOo **

They were within view of the visitor center when Ellie stopped in her tracks. She pointed at a muscular man sitting on the visitor center's steps. The man turned his head in their direction. He appeared to have been waiting for them.

"What the hell's he still doing here?"

Muldoon didn't like the rigid note in her voice. It was full of apprehension and anger. He remembered that sinking feeling he had at the east dock: someone from the Biosyn team had stayed behind on Isla Nublar. As they neared the visitor center, Muldoon recognized the man sitting on the steps. Grant, Ellie, and Malcolm stopped near the lake while Muldoon, Arnold, and Nedry continued onward to meet the man who had waited patiently for them.

It was George Lawala.

Lawala stood up, just as they stopped in front of the visitor center.

"You missed your boat," Arnold growled. "Get—"

"Wait," Muldoon said, signaling for Arnold to keep calm. He approached Lawala, curious as to why he was still on the island. "Why are you still here? Shouldn't you have left with Dodgson?"

Lawala shook his head. He looked from Muldoon to Nedry, and stole a glance at Malcolm, Ellie and Grant who watched their exchange.

"I'm no longer with them…I…" Lawala was hesitant. He didn't know how they would perceive or receive him. He wasn't sure how to express what had happened, but he knew he had to speak up. He hoped they would hear out what he had to say. "When I left you and Roland before your fight, I brought Lopez halfway over, and then left him. I went inside the visitor center and waited…and I spoke with Mr. Gennaro."

Muldoon heaved a great sigh of relief and embraced Lawala like a long lost brother. He was ecstatic to know that at least one person had made the right decision today. Even better—it was George Lawala! From speaking with Arnold, Muldoon had sensed that Lawala wasn't wholeheartedly with Biosyn and that leaving Dodgson's gang was what he truly wanted to do. He just didn't have a way out until now.

Everyone watched, silent in disbelief. Didn't Lawala help Dodgson take over Isla Nublar? Finally, Grant spoke up.

"Look," he said, watching Lawala cautiously. "I know you two have a history together—but you're the same scumbag that shot Ellie in the leg and—"

Muldoon and Lawala broke their embrace. Lawala nodded, agreeing with Grant's statement.

"You're right, Dr. Grant…I did do that to you and her. I'm truly sorry for that and for everything else that happened here." Lawala made sure that what he said next carried weight. "I would like to make amends…" Now he met Ellie's eyes and held them to ensure he meant what he said next. "By helping rebuild your greenhouse—first thing tomorrow morning."

Ellie's lips perked up slightly. Beside her, Malcolm said, "Sounds like a step in the right direction."

Lawala turned to Muldoon. "As for you, Robert, I spoke to Mr. Gennaro about working here." This time, he sounded more confident. "I heard you need an extra hand on the island taking care of the lizards." He glanced at Nedry.

Grant was in full agreement. "He definitely does. The more help, the better."

Muldoon took a step back. His silence conveyed his amazement, and yet, he was also unsure of how to adequately respond to the news that Lawala was the newly hired game warden who would assist him in the park with the animals. It was the _best_ news he had heard in a long time! He was beyond grateful that he would finally get the extra help he needed. He didn't even know how to express his gratitude.

Lawala was the perfect man for the job. He was sensible, cautious, and respectful. Respect for the animals, in Muldoon's view, was an absolute must. Dinosaurs were long extinct creatures that they still had so much to learn about. There was so much to explore. They weren't just for display, nor were they meant to be the easy target of a poacher who just wanted to mount their heads over a fireplace or trophy room. They weren't meant to be stolen and sold to the highest bidder. They were living breathing animals who deserved to be cared for by experienced people who were passionate about life. Muldoon had a feeling that Lawala's incident with the dilophsoaur had humbled him in a manner that would always remain with him. Aside from that, Lawala and Muldoon had a shared history together that dated back to their time in Africa. They had overcome their rivalry long ago, and had a new solid respect for each other. Muldoon couldn't have asked for a more qualified—and exceptional person—to work with.

One question crossed Muldoon's mind. How did Lawala know that he needed assistance protecting the dinosaurs, as well as maintaining the safety of everyone in the park? He knew the answer to his unspoken question when he followed Lawala's gaze. Nedry stood next to Arnold pressing down on his injured fingers. Muldoon's mind went back to the past conversation he and Nedry had when they were traveling back to Isla Nublar in the raft. It was the conversation where Muldoon had shut down on Nedry because he figured he would never get the help he needed. Not to mention how difficult it was to convey his frustration to someone who had no idea what his work was like. All Muldoon wanted was at least one more person in the same position as he, so that carrying the weight of protecting Jurassic Park wouldn't always rest on his shoulders. _He really understood me, _Muldoon thought. _He knew what I meant…_

"This is really great," Muldoon finally said. "You have no idea how much this means to me...I"m sorry, I really don't have the right words..."

"It's a good thing," Arnold said. "Don't worry, the elated expression on your face says it all, Robert." He smiled. "Let's go inside and see what everyone else is doing. We should have a feast tonight, after everything that's happened."

"We should," Malcolm agreed.

Grant nodded and started up the steps, followed by Malcolm and Ellie. Arnold went in after them, leaving Lawala, Muldoon, and Nedry outside.

Lawala pointed at the double doors. "I'll go join them and meet up with you later. I have to tell Mr. Gennaro I accepted the job offer. He said he'd make a contract for me to sign."

"Sounds good," Muldoon said.

Lawala briefly smiled and Muldoon thought he saw a flash in his eyes. It was as though he had been freed from a dark and dreary dungeon and was finally able to breathe fresh air again. It dawned on Muldoon that not everyone who worked for Dodgson had enjoyed it or wanted to remain forever with Biosyn. Thankfully, Lawala had the sense and courage to leave. Muldoon only hoped that Wu would make the same decision someday—and hopefully sooner than later.

He watched as Lawala went into the visitor center and then turned to Nedry. Muldoon struggled with his next words. He had to say them before the opportunity passed.

"This means a lot...thank you."

Nedry nodded. "You're welcome."

Muldoon started up the stairs and then stopped for a moment. There was one thing he had just remembered and he wondered if it had crossed Arnold's mind. "What about the laptop that Dodgson took? It has all of—"

"InGen's information? Yeah, that's what he thinks."

He smirked, and Muldoon wasn't sure what to make of it. He knew it wasn't good, but then again, if it was bad for Biosyn, then it was good for InGen. Muldoon felt smug satisfaction at the thought of what Nedy had done that Dodgson had yet to discover on that laptop.

Muldoon pointed at Nedry's bruised hand. "Let's get that hand fixed up."

Nedry pointing back at Muldoon. "And don't forget your shoulder."

They walked up the stairs and entered the visitor center, thankful that they had finally gotten rid of Lewis Dodgson's team. Somehow things were going to change, and for once, they would change for the better. Muldoon smiled as he thought about it. Things would take a positive turn for everyone in InGen, and he knew that everyone, himself included, would be appreciative of it.


	22. Just Deserts

**Just Deserts**

It had only been four days since Lewis Dodgson returned to Biosyn's headquarters in Cupertino, California, but to him and the team, it felt like four strenuous years, each day dragging on and stretching without end. No one spoke to each other most of the time. When they did, very few words were exchanged. Everyone was living in their own world and appeared to be content to shut out the next person. Their miserable defeat at Isla Nublar and complete failure to acquire InGen and Jurassic Park ate away at each person. The Biosyn's team high morale had totally vanished and it would take nothing short of a miracle for it to return.

Dodgson made it a point to speak little to his staff during this time. He knew that if he spoke to them at length, he would be tempted to blast them for their idiotic mistakes. He wrestled between giving each of them the boot, and in the end decided that he still needed them. After all, they had some use. _Some._ He scoffed at the thought. He didn't want to be bothered with them at the moment, although in a little while, he would require the assistance of George Baselton and Henry Wu. In the meantime, he went to the conference room. It was the very same conference room where he and his team had plotted InGen's demise.

Dodgson sat down at the table by himself. He glanced at his watch and then took it off before putting it back on his wrist again. Impatience gnawed at him and he felt increasingly restless. He stood up and circled the table twice before sitting down again. Baselton and Wu needed to hurry up—he was expecting their arrival within the hour. They were scheduled to accompany Dodgson at the administrative meeting with Biosyn's board of directors located two floors down.

Dodgson thought about what they—no, not they—what _he_ was about to do. He needed this to go perfectly. There was zero room for mistakes this time. Dodgson's fists clenched from longstanding habit as he remembered the conversation he had had with Jeff Rossiter as soon as the team had returned to headquarters. He had practically begged for this final opportunity to prove to Rossiter and Peter Steingarten that he indeed still had the advantage over InGen.

_"I'm asking that you give this a chance. We have valuable information from InGen that will give Biosyn what they need to surpass them!" _

"_One last chance, Lew. You screw up this time, you're out. Permanently. "_

Jeff Rossiter was not one to be mocked, especially not when the CEO of Biosyn, Peter Steingarten, stood next to him. Especially not after the failed tour and onsite inspection of Jurassic Park. Dodgson hated that he had been forced into a position where he had to beg and plead, but he had no choice. He was banking on Nedry's laptop that Wu had showed him on their trip back to the Costa Rican mainland. It gave Dodgson a sliver of hope that all was not lost. Although InGen had won the battle, Biosyn was still fighting the war against them. _And this time, we're going to win,_ he thought, smiling deviously.

Dodgson's feelings of jubilation were short-lived. While it was true that he might strike gold this time, it was also true that his entire team had paid a heavy price for following his every whim. It was only now that he finally allowed himself to fully reflect the demise of his team.

First of all, George Lawala had mysteriously disappeared. He wasn't on the vessel that returned to the mainland. No one knew where he was or what had happened to him. Did he escape to Costa Rica? Stay on Isla Nublar? Return to his native Rhodesia? Worse yet, did he align himself with InGen at the last minute?

If this last possibility was actually true, then Lawala's betrayal struck a blow to Dodgson who already couldn't stand the fact that Nedry had made a fool of him—again! Dodgson figured he should've seen that a mile away. After all, Lopez was always worried about Nedry backstabbing Biosyn a second time. This time, it was Lawala who pulled a bloody knife out of Dodgson's back. A knife that Dodgson hadn't seen coming because he had not paid close attention to his subordinates. Lawala, one of his best mercenaries, had simply disappeared when he was most needed.

Dodgson figured Nedry had something to do with it since he had been seen talking to Lawala quite often. The latter thought was always accompanied by Dodgson's regret that his team hadn't finished off Nedry in the jail cell that night. _Dead men don't sway others._ Nedry had survived and it only hurt Biosyn in the end, especially since he managed to convince Lawala there were better things for him than following Dodgson. _Nedry's good at convincing fragile people like Lawala to do all sorts of crazy things,_ Dodgson reflected. _Lawala's gone because he's a weak link. He never followed through on my goals for Biosyn. _Lawala's change of heart was obviously Nedry's fault. _He decided to follow after a cowardly felon. How fucking pathetic._

Dodgson didn't know what bothered him more: Lawala's betrayal or the fact that he didn't do anything to punish Lawala or frighten him into submission. _All of the fucking above,_ Dodgson thought, clenching his fists. While he certainly wasn't losing sleep over the loss, Dodgson was definitely frustrated. Not because he missed him or that he felt saddened that he would never see or hear from Lawala again. The simple fact was that Dodgson's sole love partner in life was Control. Lawala slipping away unnoticed proved that Dodgson wasn't in as much control as he wanted or imagined. It was infuriating to say the least.

Dodgson thought about the rest of his team. Howard King sobbed in his office and refused to come out. Dodgson wanted to drag him out by the neck and tell him to knock it off, but he left him alone. Let King moan and weep like the little crybaby he was. _At least he's not glued to his damn cell-phone. _Dodgson snickered at the thought. In the end, King had been no help whatsoever to the Biosyn team in their war against InGen. He simply took up space. _It's his fault Biosyn failed to take over InGen,_ Dodgson thought, darkly. King was always mushy, soft, and easily broken. He had kept Dodgson out of fire many times, but when he needed to step up and take a stand for Biosyn, King had cowered in the background not lifting a finger. _What a pathetic ass,_ Dodgson thought. He vaguely considered firing King so that he could hire a new personal assistant. _The next P.A. better have balls of steel. _

Lawala and King weren't the only ones who grated Dodgson's nerves.

Baselton had sat on the fence between InGen and Biosyn for a long time. Now he was in Biosyn's yard permanently. At the last minute, Donald Gennaro had a change of heart that neither Dodgson—nor InGen saw coming—and fired Baselton in front of everyone. It was extremely humiliating to be terminated in such a crass and obvious manner. Dodgson knew this because he saw how Baselton had paled when Gennaro made it clear that he was not permitted to be anywhere near InGen's facilities. _He looked like a damn ghost._ Dodgson's thought did not amuse him. He had been angry at Baselton for not standing up to Gennaro. Instead, Baselton had accepted his fate and walked with the Biosyn team to the boat at the east dock. _Like a fucking dog with his stupid tail tucked between his legs,_ Dodgson fumed. Baselton would never be allowed on Isla Nublar nor permitted to be anywhere InGen-associated. Before they left, Gennaro had warned Baselton he would take him to court and have a restraining order issued against him if he so much as came within a foot of InGen's headquarters in Palo Alto. Dodgson had a talk with Baselton about it the day afterwards.

"_It's only for married couples who slap each other around."_ Dodgson didn't attempt to hide the exasperated note in his voice. "_He's a stupid lawyer—he's bluffing." _

"_I'm not taking chances, Lew."_ Baselton had stared at the floor when he responded. He made no attempt to contradict, correct, or clarify Dodgson's words. _"We have to lay low right now."_

"_Fine, but you better ensure that they don't expose us! That's your job right now, George—if they expose us, you're finished."_

Dodgson had left a completely dumbfounded Baselton alone in the hallway. The truth was Baselton had no idea how he would be able to prevent InGen from exposing the truth about Biosyn's shady and unethical tactics.

That point was irrelevant.

In Dodgson's distorted vision, Baselton had to pay for messing up everything for Biosyn and so he gave him an impossible assignment as just punishment. Nevertheless, Baselton heeded Gennaro's warning and stayed confined in Biosyn's headquarters. Even now, he was still wracking his brain about how to control a possible scenario that was truly beyond his control. Dodgson let him sit with the problem. He found it was amusing for one thing, and it also gave him the brilliant exhilaration he felt when he was in control.

Dodgson's thoughts wandered to Sonya Durant. He had run into her this morning, or rather, she had bumped into him on her way out of the building. Sonya didn't say anything to Dodgson at the time. As he watched her enter the parking lot, he was under the impression that Sonya was trying to put distance between them. It was as though she wanted no association with Dodgson or anything Biosyn related.

Aside from the accidental collision, Dodgson was aware that Sonya's demeanor had drastically changed. These days, Sonya tended to walk with her head down and her eyes set on the floor. Before their crushing defeat, she had been the loudest and most energetic person on the team. Now, she was virtually unrecognizable. She spoke in a low raspy voice and stared at the ground whenever she had conversations with anyone. Purple bruises marred her face and healed slowly. On only one occasion when Sonya looked up at Dodgson, he had seen the difference in her eyes. They were dull and lifeless for the first time since he'd known her. He could tell she was humbled after everything that had happened. Humbled and mostly humiliated to the point where she couldn't express it to anyone.

Her fight with Ellie Sattler had rattled her to the core. Sonya had severely bullied Ellie without a shred of mercy or remorse. It was only a matter of time before Ellie snapped. The bruises on Sonya's face were evidence of that fight. Sonya had nursed her wounds when they returned and then tended to Tembo. Dodgson knew she was going to the hospital to visit Tembo when he had seen her earlier. Tembo might not be aware or awake when she arrived, but that didn't deter Sonya. _If you had kept your focus on acquiring InGen for Biosyn, Sonya,_ _and not allow yourself to get distracted by that bitch of a paleobotanist, you wouldn't have gotten your ass handed to you. I've heard of dumb blondes, but I can make an exception for a dumb brunette like you. _Dodgson smirked at the thought and then considered the remaining team members.

Once swaggering and arrogant, Roland Tembo now lay in a bed at the county hospital, broken and in recovery. Robert Muldoon had kept his word and put him in the hospital. Dodgson knew, as everyone else did, that Tembo had extremely serious neck and back injuries from his fight against Muldoon. Dodgson knew it was over from the moment Muldoon's legs wrapped around Tembo's neck. Dodgson had never seen anything like it before. It looked like an athletic maneuver executed by professional wrestlers. Tembo was knocked unconscious minutes after Muldoon managed to lock both legs around his neck a second time to strangle him. Muldoon didn't go in for the kill, Dodgson knew he was above that, but he cut off Tembo's air supply which was bad enough. He had finished off Tembo by slamming his head into the ground. By the time Muldoon had released his hold, Tembo was knocked out cold.

Any other human being would've felt utmost compassion and sincere gratitude for Tembo's whole-hearted attempts to preserve his team's dignity.

Dodgson was not such a human being.

It was Tembo's fault they had lost _everything_. In the end, the entire fate of Biosyn—and InGen—rested on Tembo's shoulders. _You failed miserably, Roland._ _You deserve to be laying helpless in the hospital for your lousy screw-ups. _Dodgson's eyes narrowed and he allowed himself to fully feel his contempt for Tembo. _I gave you easy assignments: put Nedry out of his fucking misery, babysit the InGen staff while I'm on the mainland, make sure Dr. Chaos and Hammond's bratty granddaughter go in and out of the CIMA hospital—and finally, beat that holier-than-crap park warden Muldoon to a messy pulp so that we can own the damn island and dispose of InGen once and for all—and you didn't even come close to succeeding. _Dodgson rubbed his temples as though a migraine had just settled in. It literally hurt his head when he thought about how often and how much Tembo had failed.

Lopez was also on Dodgson's list of employees with whom he equated with the team's collapse. Lopez continued to take care of his injuries and kept to himself like Sonya. Rumors flew around that he planned on leaving Biosyn to restart his excavations with the money he had earned from the previous InGen heists. Dodgson strongly doubted there to be any truth to that rumor since Lopez had shown unwavering loyalty from day one. Lopez had proved to be a valuable asset to him, especially with his knowledge of dinosaurs and paleontology. He just needed to stay focused on his priorities and not his co-workers. Right now, Dodgson was too impatient to help him improve in this area, especially since it had led to their downfall.

_Raúl Lopez,_ Dodgson mouthed the name. _You were useful up until the end,_ he thought. Originally, Lopez possessed a sheer determination that rivaled Dodgson's. His passion had started off wonderful, but then strayed off target. _You lost sight of what was most important, Raúl. Outdoing Nedry was never important—you should've kept your focus on InGen and Jurassic Park. If you had done so, we'd still be on that damn island. _Lopez's whining about Nedry was annoying, although Dodgson hated to admit that he had been right all along that Nedry would betray them again for InGen. In the end, Dodgson had witnessed Lopez's vicious streak come to life, especially when it concerned Nedry. Lopez was competitive, self-centered, and intense. Working with Dodgson had brought that out in him and Lopez had always felt he was working on the right team, Biosyn. Dodgson was not concerned about Lopez leaving them for another company, but that he would ditch them to continue his studies alone. Lopez was scheduled to meet with him later to discuss his decision. That would take place after Dodgson met with the Biosyn administration.

_George Lawala. Howard King. George Baselton. Sonya Durant. Roland Tembo. Raúl Lopez. _The names repeated themselves in Dodgson's mind. He was well aware of the fact that he hadn't yet crucified Wu and Nedry. In fact, the latter was the absolute worst—but Dodgson wouldn't give _him_ any thought. There was plenty to say about Nedry and Dodgson refused to go there. Instead, he gloated over the fact that he had successfully pressured Nedry into providing the entirety of InGen's information on the laptop. That in itself was an amazing triumph. _You failed in your plans to foil me. Stupid slob. _Dodgson chuckled as pride drenched him. He truly had the last laugh although he was certain Nedry thought otherwise with his stupid little games.

As for the rest…although he treasured each person on his team, they had all unintentionally caused Biosyn's failure. That's all there was to it. Lawala was half-hearted and showed little interest in Dodgson's plans after experiencing the dilophosaur attack. King was always crying and whimpering about something. Baselton should've kept his alliance with Biosyn a guarded secret, instead of being open about it towards the end. Sonya's overconfidence led to the death of who she once was. Tembo was ruined by his out-of-this-world ambition to become the game warden of Jurassic Park. In the end, Lopez was too focused on his hatred for Nedry to actually care about Dodgson's goal to defeat and attain InGen for Biosyn.

_What about Henry Wu?_ Dodgson's only concern was that Wu would have a change of heart and want to return to InGen. _He better—_

The soft knock on the door interrupted Dodgson's thoughts.

"Come in!" he called without turning around.

"It's just me," Wu said, closing the door behind him. He carried Nedry's laptop and set it on the table in front of Dodgson.

Dodgson gestured for him to sit down. Wu hesitated for a moment before sitting down. Dodgson noticed the slight hesitancy. _He better stay with Biosyn unless he wants to be taught a valuable lesson before his time, _Dodgson thought. He made sure his facial expression didn't betray any hint of hostility he felt at that moment. Dodgson didn't want Wu on the team—he _needed_ him there. Everyone else could swim in Hell's Lake of Fire and burn to ashes, for all Dodgson cared. There was no question that Dodgson placed Wu on a pedestal to be worshipped. Wu was not permitted to leave the pedestal on his own accord. The only way he would come down was when Dodgson took him down himself. And Dodgson had no plans to do that anytime soon.

Henry Wu was proof that his attempt to take over International Genetics had not been in vain. In fact, his attempt was actually worth it because he had convinced Henry Wu to contribute his talents and skills to Biosyn and leave InGen in the dust. Wu knew everything about how InGen genetically engineered their dinosaurs. He had been intimately involved in the process. He had been present for every procedure and knew every secret behind the magic InGen used to achieve its astounding goals. Dodgson knew he could use Henry Wu for Biosyn's advantage. So what if they didn't have embryos, eggs, or the entire damn island? They had the genius—the miracle worker behind Jurassic Park—and that was a far greater prize than conquering InGen.

"You're just in time, Henry. Once George arrives, we'll head downstairs to the meeting."

Dodgson made an extra effort to sound cordial. It wasn't hard to do since he was accustomed to using charm for his own purposes. This time around, he knew to lay it on thick. With everything that had occurred, Wu might have second thoughts about staying with Biosyn. Dodgson had always sensed that Wu had mixed feelings about which company he should truly align with. He wanted to squash that doubt before Wu acted on it.

"I've been thinking about stuff." Wu didn't look at Dodgson's face when he spoke.

"Yeah? Like what?" _He's being too vague._ Dodgson didn't like that, but he had to make sure he kept a friendly tone. "Speak your mind."

"Things didn't go exactly as planned on Isla Nublar…" Wu stopped, his thoughts hanging in the air.

Dodgson found himself growing anxious as the silence from Wu continued. He needed to say something convincing that would keep Wu on board.

"Things don't always go exactly as expected, but that's why we have Plan B."

"Right, we still have Nedry's laptop!" Wu suddenly smiled brightly. It was hard to tell if he was putting on a show for Dodgson or if he genuinely felt excited.

Dodgson sighed inwardly. He hadn't been expecting this and now that he thought about it, it didn't matter if Wu was performing or not. The important thing was Wu was on the same page as Dodgson. This was a very good and necessary thing. It meant Dodgson didn't have to put on his kid gloves to coddle Wu, which he absolutely hated, despite knowing the costs of industrial espionage.

"We still have all the necessary information stored in here." Wu tapped Nedry's laptop. "Aren't we supposed to be meeting with the Biosyn administration?"

"Correct," Dodgson said. "We're bringing that laptop with us since Dennis downloaded all the information onto a database for Biosyn's use. This is our ticket to remaining in Steingarten's and Rossiter's good graces. We'll be hailed as the saviors of Biosyn!"

Dodgson patted Wu on the back, who now appeared certain that everything would work out on their favor. At that same moment, Baselton entered the office. Before Baselton could greet Dodgson or Wu, Dodgson beat him to the punch.

"There's still hope, George! Check this out—we've got Nedry's laptop here and we're about to gain immediate access to all the information we need so we can build our own Jurassic Park!" Dodgson gloated.

Baselton looked doubtful as he approached them. "I don't know, Lew…maybe we should give up. Forget about InGen." He exchanged a brief glance with Wu and then looked away.

Dodgson turned on him. "We're _not_ waving the white flag. That stupid Dennis—he doesn't know how much he fucked InGen up the ass by making a database for _our_ use."

For the first time, Baselton cringed in reaction to the crude way Dodgson spoke about InGen. Dodgson continued as though Baselton had simply encouraged him.

"We'll catch up in no time and get back into the competition. InGen didn't wipe us out for good. We may be an endangered species," Dodgson said, grinning widely, "but we aren't extinct. Right or wrong?"

"Right," Wu and Baselton said at the same time.

Dodgson sprung from his chair and opened the door. He moved around with ease despite his injured ankle. It was as though his sheer hope had healed the injury. He didn't even have to say a word as Wu and Baselton knew exactly what Dodgson wanted to do at that moment. It was time to go to the conference room where the Biosyn administration awaited them.

Wu took Nedry's laptop and carried it as though he were holding precious jewelry. All three men knew that the laptop held their last shred of hope. It would validate Dodgson's over-the-top methods to gain InGen technology. Neither Baselton or Wu spoke as they took the elevator two floors down. Only Dodgson bubbled with enthusiasm.

"We're going in there to make our mark. I'm telling you; by the time we're done they're going to be speechless!"

Soon they had reached the conference room which was far larger than the one Dodgson used for his team. Dodgson peeked in, noting its magnificent size and how it was filled to capacity with all the big names from the company. _We got this covered. Let's go in there and kick ass! _He mouthed and Baselton and Wu nodded quickly. All three men could hear the animated chatter from within the room. Apparently, Dodgson's time to show off InGen technology to Biosyn higher-ups had turned into a major event akin to a media circus.

Dodgson was the first one to walk in. He entered the conference room like a regal king who was there to preside over his loyal subjects. Confident. Invincible. Charming.

Wu and Baselton attempted to follow Dodgson's example—and failed miserably. Baselton hunched over as though he carried a heavy chain around his neck. Wu tried to appear as smooth as Dodgson, but he didn't lack a conscience and wasn't able to pull off appearing slick and organized.

Upon entering the conference room, Wu instantly recognized Jeff Rossiter and Peter Steingarten. They sat at the head of the oval table. On both sides of them were board directors and department heads from Biosyn. He didn't recognize any of the men and women, but he could feel twelve pairs of eyes picking him apart, dissecting him. They knew he was from InGen—their number one competitor. Wu wasn't sure how they would take to him—if they would embrace him as Dodgson had. Perhaps by the end of the presentation, when they saw everything that Wu had done—when they were able to bear witness to his accomplishments—their gazes would soften with admiration. It was a thought Wu clung to now, as he needed solid validation that his decision to leave InGen had been the right one…

Baselton kept looking at the door as though memorizing how to exit in case Dodgson's plan went wrong and he had to make a speedy escape.

Dodgson noticed the wary expressions Wu and Baselton wore on their faces and immediately felt irritated. He pulled them close together and made sure his order was understood clearly. Due to the chatter in the room, none of the board directors heard his words or his tone.

"Get your fucking act together—we're here to prove that we've steamrolled over InGen and that we are the winners here—not Hammond and his pathetic losers that he calls his 'staff'. We have what we need and what Biosyn wants. We're going forward with this."

From the head of the conference room table, Rossiter's voice boomed, breaking Dodgson away from Wu and Baselton. "Final chance, Lew. Don't disappoint us."

There were faint snickers and the clearing of throats at this.

Dodgson turned around and pointed at Rossiter. "You'll swallow your words in an hour and then I'll gladly accept your apology." He flashed a radiant grin.

Rossiter's eyebrows rose, as though interested in Dodgson's challenge. Steingarten sat next to him, silent and observant.

Dodgson wasted no time plugging in Nedry's laptop with Baselton's assistance. Baselton checked to make sure that the projection screens were ready. Whatever valuable information was stored on Nedry's laptop would be magnified on the screens like a slideshow or Microsoft PowerPoint presentation for everyone in the conference room to see.

While Dodgson and Baselton double-checked to make sure everything was ready to go, it was then that Wu noticed the vague uneasiness present in the conference room. Some board directors stacked their papers appearing to be distracted; others sent knowing glances that Dodgson apparently missed as his back was turned to them. He was gearing up the laptop with such enthusiasm that even if he had sensed the apprehension in the room, it wouldn't have fazed him at all. Wu remembered King had informed him about Dodgson's reputation in the company. The _Undertaker._ Lewis Dodgson stood apart from everyone. For some reason, Wu was reminded of the compys in Jurassic Park that feasted on leftover dinosaur carcasses and of vultures circling over a corpse they planned to devour. Dodgson reminded him of those creatures now and he swept the thought away while trying not to shiver at the imagery.

He had to focus on his fame. It was why he left InGen for Biosyn. There was more going for him in this company where his dreams were on the brink of realization. He wouldn't be pushed aside any longer nor would he be ignored. Dodgson had promised him time and time again. In just an hour, the entire administration of Biosyn would be singing praise songs to Wu for all his admirable accomplishments. _And InGen? InGen_—Wu buried the thought. He looked up when he heard Dodgson address the board directors.

"We're ready to get this show on the road! All the magic…all the secrets…all the information and advances in genetics that InGen doesn't want anyone in the world to know are now at our fingertips! We'll start our own Jurassic Park that will rival InGen's!"

Everyone had silenced in excited anticipation for what Dodgson planned to show them.

Steingarten rested his chin his balled fists, determined to see if what Dodgson boasted to be true was actually true. "Don't tell us, Lew. _Show_ us."

It was a challenge that Dodgson was more than ready to meet. "We're going to boot up the laptop right now. Nedry—InGen's programmer and a former Biosyn team member—" Dodgson spat out the last four words in disgust before continuing in an exuberant tone, "managed to download all the information we need to know about InGen's technology. It will take a few moments for the system to boot up. Henry, we'll need your assistance here."

Wu quickly typed on the laptop. There was a brief hum as the laptop booted up. Dodgson glanced at the projection screen as the InGen logo appeared. After what seemed like an eternity, the main screen finally appeared with numerous icons in the the middle of the screen was a paper symbol. It read: CLICK ME.

"Was Dennis fond of _Alice in Wonderland_?" Dodgson asked no one in particular.

No one laughed at his attempted humor.

"Click it, Henry," Dodgson directed.

Wu did so and the file opened up a document showing a numbered list of directions set in bold print. He read the first two directions aloud:

**1. Read this document in its entirety.  
DO NOT CONTINUE until you have read everything.  
It is imperative that you do so in order for the connection to run smoothly.**

**2. This laptop contains confidential information about InGen.  
It should be connected to the Biosyn's main network in order to increase the speed of downloading all necessary files and information. **

"For the sake of this presentation and showing you all that InGen has to offer," Dodgson paused dramatically before continuing, "I'm going to request that we be allowed to follow the direction in the second step and connect the laptop to Biosyn's main network."

Steingarten and Rossiter nodded simultaneously without saying a word.

A short time later, Nedry's laptop was connected to a computer in the conference room, which was also routed to Biosyn's main network. Baselton and Wu did a quick last minute check to ensure that everything had been connected correctly so that there wouldn't be any delay in showcasing InGen's valuable knowledge.

Dodgson knew they were about to get to the heart of everything that had been stored on the laptop. He was restless with anticipation and tried to keep himself calm. Apparently, not everyone felt the same way. An air of impatience had descended upon the audience. Exasperated sighs could be heard. Some board directors checked their watches. After five minutes, one board director stood up and left the conference room.

"Everyone please stay—the end results will be worth it!" Pleading was the antithesis to Dodgson's character and how he chose to accomplish his goals, but in this case, he knew he had to keep his audience captive.

Dodgson looked back at the laptop's screen and noticed there were several more directions that had to be followed.

"Henry, read the rest," he ordered.

"It says we have to close this file and open up the main drive. From there we'll see various files relating to InGen's information. We could download it to a CD for safekeeping. That was the recommendation."

"So close it."

Wu closed the document. No sooner had he closed the file when a gray box popped onto the screen. Inside the gray box was a yellow triangle with a black exclamation point and a message in bold: **CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE! **

"That's strange," Wu mumbled. "I thought it said to open the main drive."

"Click it, Henry. There's a reason that box popped up."

"But—"

"Do as it says. Before you know it, InGen's secrets and technology will belong to us." Dodgson now turned to the audience, a wide grin spreading across his face. "And that's what we're all here to do: pillage InGen's secrets and use them as our own so that Biosyn will be the forerunner in genetic technology!"

Dodgson's over-the-top enthusiasm got him some applause this time. Only Steingarten and Rossiter didn't look convinced. In fact, they appeared bored with the proceedings as though they were only humoring Dodgson and didn't expect to get any successful results. An outsider looking in would say they were simply putting up with Dodgson's antics. Still, they sat through as Wu followed the directions that were broadcasted on the screens for everyone in the conference room to read.

Wu clicked the box and immediately a skinny bar that took up the entire length of the screen popped up. Slowly, the bar filled with turquoise blue and indicated how much percentage was complete.

The entire conference room waited in silence as the bar filled up.

"There, it's almost done," Wu said, pointing at the screen. " It's at eight-five percent."

The download finished with the entire bar full with turquoise blue, reading one hundred percent.

"Perfect," Dodgson said, rubbing his palms together. "Let's get started. Get a CD from my office, George. I have plenty of them stashed away in my desk drawer, look in the right top one."

"Wait," Baselton said as he pointed at the screen.

The bar had vanished from the screen. In its place was another gray box with the same black exclamation point inside a yellow triangle. They read the message in silence.

Baselton was the first to react, although he consciously made sure his response was subtle as he knew Dodgson would be over the top. He closed his eyes, not wanting to see what was on the screen.

Wu shook his head in disbelief. Anger rose up inside him like sour vomit. He did everything in his willpower to avoid striking the wall with a clenched fist. He didn't even want to glance at Dodgson for fear of what his expression was. It was probably feral…and deadly.

Dodgson didn't notice Baselton's or Wu's reaction. He felt suspended in his own time and space. He was alone in the conference room, staring at the laptop and then at the screens that spelled out failure. He kept looking back and forth between the laptop and screens as though expecting either one to display a different message. Out of longstanding habit, Dodgson's fists clenched and he quickly opened them, trying not to betray any frustration. He should've stayed alone in his office. To be mortified in front of the rest of the company was his absolute worst nightmare…

On the screen, the message read:

_In opening the following document: _**CLICK ME**_.,__ you have  
downloaded the following virus onto your system:_**  
CATCH ME IF YOU CAN  
**

_Unless your hard drive is protected,  
all working systems will be contaminated by the said virus. All  
user's files and information will be lost. It is recommended that  
you restart your computer at this time. _

"Restart the computer, Lew," Baselton urged.

By now, he didn't care that they were in a conference with "Biosyn's Finest". Baselton knew Dodgson had to save face and the best thing to do would be to turn off the laptop and chalk up the incident to a grave mistake. Of course, this wouldn't fly with Rossiter and Steingarten, much less the rest of the board directors—and Baselton knew it. Something had to be done before Dodgson lost his infamous temper. Seconds later, after suggesting they restart the computer, Baselton heard that all-too familiar tone in Dodgson's voice when he was the verge of having a shouting fit with profanity mixed in.

"No."

"You have to!"

"I don't have to do any-damned-thing!" Dodgson started clicking icons and files on the desktop. As he did so, they disappeared. "What the fuck!"

Dodgson's chaotic and ruthless internal personality broke through his polished exterior at the worst possible time. Shocked gasps were heard throughout the conference room. One board director pushed away from the table, stood up, and marched out without looking back.

Worried glances were exchanged—which Dodgson was completely unaware of as he tried desperately to undo whatever damage had been done to the laptop—and Biosyn's main network. It was only a matter of time before Biosyn's entire computer network collapsed due to the virus. Dodgson knew this all too well as he had sent Nedry to destroy Cetus' computer network months ago. The very same computer virus that had devoured Cetus's computer network was the very same one that attacked Biosyn's network now.

There was nothing he could do to stop it.

"Damn it." Dodgson's teeth were clenched. "That bastard—" He punched the laptop's keys, frustrated.

Steingarten and Rossiter stood up. "That's enough," Steingarten said.

The board directors took their cue from them and stood up at the same time. In no time at all, they began filing out of the conference room. It seemed they all knew what was to follow and chose to give Dodgson a shred of dignity by not being around to witness whatever Steingarten and Rossiter had planned. Nedry's virus overflowed with humiliation for Dodgson. They didn't need to stay around to see what else would occur. Nor did they want to.

Wu's and Baselton's eyes met. They didn't know what was to come, but certain that what had occurred was the final insult from Dennis Nedry to Lewis Dodgson. His name was all over the situation, and it occurred to both of them, without either of them stating it aloud to other, that they knew this was going to happen. Somehow Nedry would find a way to screw over Dodgson again and this time, really get away with it. It was his parting shot.

"You're through, Lew," Steingarten said. His voice was flat.

"But—wait, I can explain!"

"There's nothing to explain," Rossiter said. "You've had your chance and blew it. It's over. I guess you thought this was your idea of a joke. Once again, Biosyn has been made the fool in your efforts to acquire technology from InGen."

Steingarten motioned for Rossiter to stop. "I'm calling security. They will escort you out. You and your employees." Steingarten pointed in Wu's and Baselton's direction.

What happened next was unclear to Steingarten and Rossiter. Either Dodgson heard their decision to finally terminate him and his staff or he was still trapped in the moment where he had experienced pure embarrassment from Nedry's virus. It was most likely a combination of both.

Dodgson shoved the laptop off the table it and crashed to the ground. Just as quickly, he snatched it up and ran out of the conference room. Wu and Baselton followed close behind. Dodgson was fast though and he was now at the elevator. He punched the buttons, frantic and impatient. It was identical to the time when Nedry had left Dodgson's office and rushed to the elevator to escape Dodgson after hearing the news of Hammond's paralysis. Baselton and Wu didn't say a word as they entered the elevator with Dodgson who by now was absolutely furious from what had occurred in the conference room moments ago.

The elevator doors opened two floors above and Dodgson stormed out, followed by Wu and Baselton. Dodgson threw open to the door to the conference room he had used to meet with his team over the past years and ushered Wu and Baselton in. They scurried inside, so as not to increase Dodgson's ire. Once inside, Dodgson slammed the door and locked it.

"No one's escorting me out, I'll be damned if they do," he whispered. He leaned against the door as though making a futile attempt to prevent security from entering.

Wu and Baselton said nothing in response. Instead, another voice responded.

"I know I'm a little early, Dr. Dodgson," Lopez said, "but I thought it'd be best—"

"Not now! I can't believe him—that fucking hacker pulled this shit on us! Fuck him! FUCK INGEN!"

"What happened?" Lopez asked, turning to Baselton and Wu. He gestured to Dodgson, curious as to why he appeared so angry. "I thought you guys were going to a meeting."

Wu motioned for Lopez to stop, which Lopez immediately did.

Baselton shook his head and Wu watched as Dodgson stormed around the conference room with the laptop. Lopez's eyes widened as Dodgson's gait became pronounced as he approached the windows and opened them. For a moment, Lopez was worried that Dodgson was going to throw himself out of the window when suddenly he turned around and grinned maliciously at his team.

"I'm throwing this garbage out!"

Dodgson looked as though he were about to toss the laptop out of the window and suddenly spun around, and threw it across the room. Baselton and Wu ducked as the laptop whizzed above their heads and crashed into the wall. It landed on the carpet with a heavy thud.

"Oh…him," Lopez said quietly. "I always knew he'd do something with the computers."

"Don't rub it in, Raúl," Wu said.

Lopez glanced at Wu, his eyebrows furrowed in surprise. "I wasn't doing that."

"I know, I'm just saying—"

"BOTH OF YOU! SHUT THE HELL UP! NOW!"

Lopez and Wu immediately fell silent at Dodgson's command.

Nothing was said amongst them for a full minute.

During that time, Wu finally pushed the thought to the forefront of his mind: the thought he had buried because he didn't want to admit that he had followed the wrong person. _How in the hell am I going to get out of this situation? _Even if Dodgson was forced to leave Biosyn today, he would take Wu with him—and Wu wanted no part of him. Not anymore—not after the miserable failure that had occurred in front of all of the Biosyn administration. He realized a little too late that he was trapped in a very bad situation and his dreams had been squashed royally. There was no recognition to be experienced except to be viewed as a failure. His dream of fame had become a nightmare that he lived. Wu wanted no part of it anymore. It was over.

He wondered if it was too late to seek pardon from those he had betrayed. Could he be redeemed? _Would Ray, Robert, and Gerry accept me back? __Or Dr. Grant, Dr. Sattler, and Dr. Malcolm? Tim and Lex? _And the final person that would be the most devastated if he knew the truth: _What about John Hammond?_ Wu swallowed nervously as numbing shame overwhelmed him. Wu held onto the slimmest possibility that his former InGen family would accept him back with welcome and open arms, grateful that he had made the right decision. Ray Arnold had begged him to reconsider, to stay with those he knew…so maybe there was hope. Wu smiled briefly—he didn't want Dodgson to misinterpret his facial expression as a mocking one. That half of the battle was won, Wu was certain of it.

It was the other half that was daunting…He hadn't the faintest idea of how he'd leave Biosyn unscathed. All due to the choices he had made. For now, he was stuck and he would have to find a way to break away from Dodgson without risking his life. Wu knew by now that working for Dodgson was a deadly life sentence of servitude. Others had escaped—Nedry and Lawala—but this time, Dodgson would certainly tighten his grip on Wu, and Wu knew it. Wu was now Dodgson's most precious and valuable commodity and he would not release him anytime soon. Wu sighed, exhausted at mere scenario of it. _I don't know how, _he thought, _but I will find my way back._

Wu's thoughts were interrupted by Dodgson's anxious mutterings.

"I'm not letting them in. They'll have to drag me out by the ankles. To hell with them…fuck security—they can get the U.S. Army to break down this door and toss me out and I'd still come back."

Dodgson rubbed his forehead as he felt a huge migraine set in. He flung his shades and they rattled on the table. Right now, he wanted to murder someone. Just take any stranger who happened to be in his path and wring their neck until they were blue in the face and growling for air.

"Shit," he said in a hoarse whisper, while pounding his clenched fists into the table. "Not a damned thing we can do. It's all lost...everything gone…because of him."

Wu and Lopez exchanged a knowing glance. Meanwhile, Dodgson rocked in his chair, consumed by rage from being duped again by Dennis Nedry.

"He got us, Lew," Baselton said, shaking his head. "He got us good."

Just as Baselton finished saying "good", a loud knocking could be heard from outside the door. Dodgson's head snapped in the direction of the door. He glanced fearfully at Lopez, Baselton, and Wu.

"Where's Sonya?" Dodgson rasped. He had forgotten that she had left earlier.

"At the hospital visiting Roland," Lopez said.

"That stupid bitch should be here," Dodgson said, and even as he said it, the knocking came again, louder than before. It almost sounded like Tembo's insistent pounding whenever he demanded to be granted entrance.

"What's going on?" Lopez asked Baselton and Wu.

This time he sounded worried as he had not been fully informed of what occurred at the meeting. He was about to rudely find out that he, nor Wu, Baselton, King, Tembo, and Sonya—had a place in Biosyn anymore. Somehow, Lopez knew Dodgson was finished—an inner knowing had suddenly hit him and he could do nothing to help Dodgson, who now stood up and faced the door. Lopez was aware that Dodgson knew what, or rather, who awaited him on the other side of the door. The finality of it slammed him full force and he was certain that everyone in the room knew it was completely over for them.

It was suddenly very quiet in the conference room and it was only then that they heard the mechanical sound as a key turned inside the lock…

* * *

**Author's Notes: **Finished editing this chapter and posted it in time for the holidays! Please accept this chapter as my Christmas gift to all of you faithful readers! This chapter was originally very short with Dodgson finding out about the virus on Nedry's laptop in the privacy of his conference room with Wu and Baselton. Then it occurred to me that his just deserts should be made public, and so the scene of showing the laptop to Biosyn's administration was added in. May the holidays be a blessing to you and your loved ones! (And on a very unrelated note...I just found out that "deserts" in the phrase "just deserts" is actually spelled with one 's' and not two.)

**-Sassy Lil Scorpio**


	23. Equilibrium

**Equilibrium**

During the three months following Biosyn's departure, life flourished and soared to new heights on Isla Nublar. It had taken time, patience, and a cooperative effort from everyone to rebuild what had been broken: the park's fences, the control room's computerized lock where ID cards were once used for entry, Ellie Sattler's greenhouse, the sick dinosaurs, and most importantly, the relationships between the park staff.

Gerry Harding was thrilled about the park's escalating progress. It was very rewarding to witness the positive turnaround. Presently, it was mid-afternoon on a warm Saturday and he and Robert Muldoon were driving to the maiasaura paddock with a caged baby dinosaur in the backseat. The maiasaura had been born in the hatchery, a week after Henry Wu had left with Lewis Dodgson's gang. She had been raised in the adjoining nursery for the first three months and now she was ready to be placed inside the park with the adult maiasauras. This placement was emotional for Harding, since he remembered the maiasaura that had died during Biosyn's reign. He still couldn't explain why the death had occurred, but he felt better knowing that they were placing a new healthy animal into the paddock.

"Remember when we lost her, Robert? That sick one."

"I know, but we have a new one." Muldoon motioned towards the backseat.

"She'll blend in well with the rest. She's healthier and livelier."

"Sometimes I think the other one died because of what was going on at the time." Muldoon kept his eyes on the road. "It's possible. Animals can sense what's going on around them."

"The animals aren't getting sick as often now that _they're_ gone," Harding said.

"I noticed that too." Muldoon slowed down and drove into the paddock. "They're doing much better now."

"Some of the really sick ones had a full recovery," Harding said, still amazed. "It's really a miracle."

Muldoon nodded. He understood and appreciated that the dinosaurs' health and well-being meant a lot to Harding. "I know that gives you peace of mind."

"It really does." Harding watched the maiasauras congregate together in a herd near the waterhole. "Have you decided what to do about the raptor enclosure? It's still empty."

"Not yet, but I will soon."

The baby maiasaura cawed in the backseat. The dinosaur was two feet tall and four feet long, which was very small compared to how large she would be when she grew to be a full sized adult. She had brown leather skin with pale red stripes and a small duck bill. Because she was a relatively calm dinosaur, Muldoon only used minimal tranquilizers when they put her in the cage to transport her to her new home. Harding didn't think it was necessary, but Muldoon warned him that no animal—regardless of how docile they appeared—liked to be caged. It wasn't a heavy dose and by the time they arrived at the paddock, the tranquilizers were wearing off and the maiasaura was more alert than ever.

Once inside the paddock, the drove halfway in and stopped twenty feet away from the herd of maiasauras. They didn't want to get too close and frighten the animals. The maiasauras weren't hostile; in fact, they welcomed new dinosaurs into their herd. Muldoon and Harding maintained their distance and unloaded the cage into the grass. They made sure to place the opening facing the maiasauras out in the field so that the dinosaur would head straight for the group using her instincts.

"Ready?" Muldoon asked

Harding nodded. "Yep, let's do it."

Muldoon undid the latch to the cage and the door creaked open. At first, the dinosaur stayed inside the cage. Sensing their presence, an adult maiasaura in the distance turned towards them and honked. The baby slowly padded out onto the grass, hesitating at first. Once outside of the cage, the maiasaura cocked her head and gazed dumbly at the green field in front of her. Muldoon and Harding stepped back and watched. They didn't want to force the baby maiasaura. Maybe she wasn't ready to be integrated yet. The same adult maiasaura that had honked came forward and stopped, waiting to see what would happen.

"There she goes," Harding said. He pointed as the maiasaura bounded over to the herd.

The maiasaura went straight for the one that had communicated with her. The adults surrounded her and nuzzled her, pushing her forward into the circle. Harding couldn't see her anymore, but he knew she was safe. The baby had been accepted into the group. Of all the dinosaurs in the park, maiasauras were the most welcoming and friendly to new members. There wasn't hissing or snarling from older dinosaurs, or fighting and competing for territory. They existed peacefully.

"That's done," Muldoon said, still watching the herd. "I wish it was always this easy with the other ones."

"Tell me about it."

"I'll take this cage back and have the workers sterilize it. We may have to use it again soon for another animal."

"Already?" Harding was confused. "What animal?"

"It's good to be prepared. You never know."

Harding helped Muldoon place the cage into the backseat. They lingered around, watching the maiasauras interact together. The baby weaved in and out among the adults. They heard the rumbling of an engine nearby and then it quieted as the vehicle was turned off. Muldoon looked over his shoulder and saw George Lawala sitting in a gas-powered jeep about ten feet away. Lawala got out, waving his hand.

"It's George," Harding said. "Wonder what's up?"

"Let's find out," Muldoon said, starting towards Lawala. "No news is good news, especially on this island."

Harding decided not to dwell on Muldoon's last comment and focused on the positive aspect of Lawala being InGen's newest staff member. "Are you glad he's with us? Now you've got an extra set of hands when it comes to monitoring the dinosaurs in the park."

"I'm very pleased. I just wish he had joined InGen sooner."

"Better late than never. You're definitely not stressed out anymore."

Muldoon thought for a moment. "It's still a challenge to ensure keep guard of all the dinosaurs and ensure everyone's safety, but I'm glad I'm sharing that responsibility with someone else now. Someone who knows what we're working with here and respects the full magnitude of it. He doesn't take what we do for granted here, that's for sure. You're right, it doesn't feel like a burden anymore. In fact, it's nowhere near as bad as it used to be."

They met with Lawala. He was leaning against the gas-powered jeep, waiting patiently, and straightened up when he saw Harding and Muldoon. "Good thing I found you both," he said.

"What's going on?" Harding asked. "Everything okay?"

"How'd that project go with putting the new maiasaura in the enclosure?"

"It went well," Muldoon said. "She's the easiest one to handle out of all the animals we have here. Good temperament."

Lawala nodded. "Glad it went well. Now that you're done, you two can head back to the visitor center. Dr. Grant wants everyone to meet at the hatchery within the hour."

"What for?" Muldoon asked. "Some emergency?"

"Everything's fine," Lawala said, answering both Muldoon and Harding's earlier question. "He wants everyone there." He climbed into the jeep and turned it on. "I have to pass on the message to Dr. Malcolm and Dr. Sattler. I'll meet you guys there."

Before Muldoon and Harding could ask anymore questions, Lawala drove away, heading towards the eastern section of the island.

"Guess we'll have to check it out," Harding said.

"Yep, let's go," Muldoon said. As he turned on their jeep, he wondered why Grant wanted everyone to meet at the hatchery. "Whatever it is, I hope it's good."

**oOo**

John Hammond sat comfortably at the head of the long table in a plush office and glanced at the CIMA logo encased in glass in the conference room. Beneath "CIMA" were the words: _Center for International Medicine Advanced._ It was very similar to InGen's conference room in the visitor center, except that Hammond hadn't organized the meeting, nor was he the facilitator. Instead, his discharge plan was the topic of discussion.

Hammond smiled and waved as Tim and Lex Murphy took their seats alongside Donald Gennaro. He had been expecting them today and was thrilled that they had arrived. _Everything will be better once I'm able to return to the island and see my animals and staff. _Hammond's eyes watered slightly when he thought of his staff. His stay at the CIMA hospital had given him the time to truly reflect on his staff, how he had treated them in the past, and how he wanted to renew his relationships with all of them going forward. He realized during the many months he had recovered from his stroke that his employees deserved far more credit than he had previously given them. _I'm going to show each of them that I value them...Ray, Henry, Robert, and Gerry... _

Another name popped up in his mind. _Dennis..._Hammond knew he had made huge mistakes when it came to Nedry and he was determined not to make those same mistakes again. He had paid a heavy price for not treating or appreciating Nedry with respect, and after all this time, Hammond was finally able to admit this difficult fact to himself.

In the meantime, he was ready to return to the island and get things running again for Jurassic Park. The hospital staff didn't know or was completely unaware that Hammond was an eccentric American billionaire responsible for dreaming a dream that many thought was impossible to achieve. This was fine with Hammond. His stay at the CIMA Hospital had humbled him. Hammond was accepting of the fact that Dr. Calderon and the rest of the staff possibly viewed him as an elderly man who had simply suffered a severe stroke and made a powerful recovery. It was best to leave it at that. When looking back at everything that had occurred from the moment he had his confrontation with Nedry outside by the raptor pen, Hammond was extremely grateful that he had survived the incident, even if it had put him off the island for several months.

Now, Hammond was expecting to hear the news he had wanted to hear ever since entering the CIMA Hospital: his release date when he would be discharged to return to Isla Nublar. He had been told the previous week that he could invite whomever he wanted. If Hammond had it his way, everyone from the island would've came. He was satisfied that Gennaro had been able to make it to the discharge meeting along with Tim and Lex. The hospital staff who had diligently provided him services to help him fully rehabilitate were also present: the primary physician Dr. Calderon, his speech, occupation, and physical therapists, and also the social worker. Hammond was glad to see all of them and signed his name on an attendance sheet that was being passed around. Soon after, the social worker began the meeting.

"So, we're all here today on behalf of you, Señor. Hammond, to discuss your progress and possible discharge date. Thank you, everyone, for coming. How are you feeling today, Señor. Hammond?"

Hammond shrugged. "I feel I'm ready to leave the hospital now and return home." He winked at Tim and Lex, who smiled in return.

"That's great. We're going to discuss the plans for your release. First, let's go over your progress in all areas...physical, occupational, and speech therapy."

"Well, we discussed this earlier with you, John," the physical therapist said, nodding towards him. "You've accomplished all your goals with us. You're in terrific shape—even better now than when you first came to us. I believe it's the same for your occupational and speech therapy."

"Absolutely. There isn't much more we can do at this time," the speech therapist added.

"They said everything I could," relayed the occupational therapist. "John has shown amazing progress. He's ready to be discharged. In fact, we completed our last session this past Tuesday."

The social worker nodded. "Great! Would you like to add anything, Dr. Calderon?"

Dr. Calderon greeted everyone. "Señor Gennaro, Tim and Lex, I'm glad you can be here today. As of now, John is scheduled for one last check-up before leaving the hospital. I just want to make sure he's all set to go before we release him."

"Sounds good," said the social worker. "So then all we need to address is if Señor. Hammond has the proper supports already in place for when he returns." She turned to Gennaro. "Is there anything that Señor Hammond needs at this time that myself or the CIMA Hospital can provide assistance with?"

"We have a doctor on staff as well as adequate medical care," Gennaro replied. "We're also taking extra precautions to ensure John's safety so that the accident which resulted in his stroke does not happen again."

"Alright, so let's make the discharge date be for the end of this month which will be after next week. It's best for you, John, since you've already so made so much progress under the hospital's care." The social worker addressed Gennaro. "Of course, if Señor Hammond finds it necessary to receive services such as ongoing therapy, he is more than welcome to return here for his future care. We can also arrange to have equipment sent to his home, make referrals for services, and also have him come in for a follow-up in three months to ensure he is doing well. Is everyone else in agreement?"

Dr. Calderon and the therapists nodded at the same time. Tim and Lex got out of their seat to hug Hammond. The social worker smiled as she watched Hammond embrace his grandchildren. It was extremely rewarding to witness someone who had come into the hospital, virtually unable to care for himself due to a severe stroke, now ready to return to his life with family and friends, fully healed and hopeful for the future.

"So then, you'll come back next week to wrap everything up?" the social worker asked Gennaro.

"Yes, that's fine. Whatever time works for you. Tim, Lex, do you guys have any questions?" Gennaro turned to them.

Tim and Lex shook their heads. "We're just glad, Grandpa's coming back," Lex said.

"Terrific! This concludes our discharge meeting for today. I will see you next week," the social worker told Gennaro.

Everyone stood up. Gennaro, Tim, and Lex shook the social worker's hand, and also the therapists', and Dr. Calderon's. They all exited the conference room together. Before leaving, the social worker gave her contact information to Gennaro. Soon, Hammond was left with Gennaro and his grandchildren, as the medical staff went about their business to attend to other patients.

"So I can finally return home!" Hammond said, smiling jubilantly. "It's been so long."

"It really has been, John," Gennaro said.

"We can go on a tour when you get back, Grandpa," Tim said.

Lex nodded. "We'll just pretend we are visiting the park for the first time."

"Sounds like a plan," Hammond said, hugging them both again. "Would you like to join me for lunch?"

Tim and Lex turned to Gennaro at the same time. "Please, Mr. Gennaro? Can we stay?"

Gennaro nodded without hesitation. "Absolutely, let's go to the cafeteria now."

**oOo**

Two hours later, Tim and Lex waited with Gennaro for the helicopter that would transport them back to Isla Nublar. They had enjoyed lunch with Hammond and spent time with him outside at the courtyard, before returning to his room. It went unsaid between all four of them that they were thrilled that Hammond would be returning as soon as next week or the week after. There was tremendous relief shared by all. Instead of saying "good-bye", it was "see you soon!"

Right now, Gennaro and Tim and Lex were near the helipad situated at the CIMA Hospital. They had already contacted Arnold that they were ready to return. Lex and Tim glanced at each other and knew it was time to ask Gennaro what they wanted to ask him ever since the day InGen had forced Biosyn off the island. They had discussed it secretly amongst themselves.

"You ask him," Tim whispered, glancing at Gennaro, who stood nearby. "I don't know how to say it."

"It's not hard, Timmy," Lex said. She sighed, knowing she'd be the one to ask him and unsure of how he'd respond after all this time.

Finding the courage to go up to Gennaro after everything that had transpired was not an easy task. Although it was wonderful that Gennaro had encouraged Tim and Lex to accompany him to Hammond's discharge meeting, it was still a lot to accept. Gennaro had said a lot of mean things to Tim and Lex, and the park staff, during Hammond's absence. When the time came to align himself with InGen, he chose the right side, and this had always made a deep impression on Tim and Lex. Although they knew the park staff discussed the matter privately, they decided to be the ones to ask him why he made his final decision.

Lex stepped towards Gennaro, while Tim hung back, watching the exchange.

"Mr. Gennaro...?"

Gennaro turned to them, a concerned expression on his face. "Is everything okay?"

Lex turned back to Tim, who came to her side. Even though he didn't have the nerve to ask Gennaro about his change of heart, he would give his sister support.

"Yes, everything's fine..." Lex said, looking away for a moment, and then forcing herself to face him. "I just wanted to ask you something, that's all."

Gennaro nodded. "Sure, what is it?"

Lex took a deep breath. The Donald Gennaro she dealt with now was not the same Donald Gennaro from before. _I can do this, I can ask him. He'll be okay with me asking. He probably expects me or Tim or someone from the park staff to ask him._

"What made you decide, um...why did you decide to turn back to my grandfather's company?" The words rushed out and she was afraid she had fumbled and didn't speak loud enough for him to hear.

Gennaro looked at her and Tim thoughtfully. "Well..." Her question had threw him off, but in his heart, he knew it was well-deserving of a true answer. By now, Gennaro had learned that Tim and Lex were sharp and wise beyond their years. If his aim was to rebuild broken relationships between himself and them—as well as him and the park staff—then it would be the best and right thing to answer honestly why he finally decided to return to InGen.

"I don't know how to say this...and I'm not sure if you'll believe what I say to you..." Gennaro started. He heard an approaching helicopter in the distance. "I'm truly sorry for all the things I said to you guys, as well as Mr. Arnold and the rest of the staff. Why I turned back to InGen...around the time that Dr. Dodgson had separated the entire staff, I realized certain things..."

"What did you realize, Mr. Gennaro?"

Gennaro felt ashamed to speak aloud what he was about to say, but it was the truth, and Lex was simply asking for his honesty. "I realized I had wanted Dodgson to take over so that we could make money off the park. That's why I originally went to his side, but when I saw how he was destroying the park staff in the process—I couldn't go for that."

"Even though you had talked down to them?"

This time, she had an angry note in her voice and Gennaro didn't take it personally. After all, Lex had a right to be angry for everything he had said and done. Gennaro silently validated her feelings.

"Yes, even though I had put them down, I felt he was going too far. When I really thought the whole thing over, I knew I had made a huge mistake. Your grandfather's staff are good people. They are decent folks who have worked very hard to make his dream a reality. Dodgson's team was destroying that dream and reality—and hurting the very same people who had always shown loyalty and respect to your grandfather."

"So that's why you turned back?" Tim asked.

Gennaro nodded. "Yes, that's why I turned back. I was going after the wrong thing with the wrong motives and alongside the wrong team." He stared at the ground for a long while before meeting Tim's and Lex's eyes. "I see that now and I'm truly sorry for the hurt that I've caused you and the rest of the park staff. I'm hoping to make up for that."

A long moment of silence passed. The quiet between them was interrupted by the helicopter flying closer to them.

"You have," Lex finally said. "Thank you for today."

"Thanks," Tim added. "It means a lot that you asked us to come today to see about Grandpa coming back to the island."

"I'm glad," Gennaro said, smiling. "From here on, let's go forward. I want you both to know that I will speak to the park staff about what went on before."

"I'm glad we talked about it," Lex said.

She glanced at Tim and saw that he appeared more relaxed. This was important to Lex as it meant that Tim had accepted Gennaro's apology and explanation. Because Tim was able to do this, Lex could do the same. She smiled at the same that Tim did, and Gennaro felt content that he had made peace with them. He could tell they felt the same way. Lex was about to say something else when the thundering noise of the helicopter's propeller blades drowned her out.

"We'll talk more on the way back!" Gennaro called out, laughing.

Lex and Tim nodded and backed away with Gennaro as the helicopter landed on the helipad.

**oOo**

Lawala drove down the maintenance road. He had left Muldoon and Harding minutes ago, after telling them that Grant wanted everyone to meet in the hatchery. The next people to receive the message were Ellie Sattler and Ian Malcolm. Grant had told Lawala to check Ellie's greenhouse, since that's where he'd find her. Where Ellie was, Ian was sure to be close by. Once he finished giving them the message, the only two left to tell were Arnold and Nedry. They were in the control room working on new security measures, so he'd talk to them before heading off to the hatchery.

Overall, Lawala greatly enjoyed his new job on the island: working side by side with Muldoon to maintain the animals in the park. One week after Biosyn left the island; Muldoon gave him an in-depth tour of the island which included the park and dinosaur paddocks, the visitor center, the control room, the staff lodge, Ellie's greenhouse and other places. Lawala had settled in quickly and had been given his own living quarters in the staff lodge. He was the only person (aside from Muldoon) to have a set of keys that gave him access to the weapons and firearms used to control and maintain the dinosaur population. Muldoon had been adamant about him having a copy of the keys. If Lawala was going to be working along side him as a fellow park warden, then he needed to have access to the weapons.

He also adapted quickly to the InGen staff. They were intriguing group of people with their quirky, strong, and fun personalities. Sometimes they bumped heads, but for the most part the InGen staff got along well and worked together. Bioysn's past reign helped to build their present solidarity. Of course, it wasn't always like that.

Muldoon often told Lawala that he wasn't around for the conflicts Hammond had with virtually everyone on staff, especially Nedry and Malcolm. Even Muldoon admitted that he had gotten into arguments with Hammond in the past. Lawala learned through Muldoon that while Hammond wasn't an easy person to work for, he had an amazing vision when he dreamed up Jurassic Park. The opportunity to be part of a unique combination of biological preserve and theme park was too good to pass up. Lawala truly appreciated the chance to turn his life around, leave Biosyn behind, and start over new with InGen. He took full advantage of the opportunity that had been offered to him and never regretted it. He just hoped Hammond would accept him as additional staff when he returned to the island. Muldoon said he would and Gennaro had offered to put in a good word for him.

Sometimes he thought of the Biosyn staff, and when he did, he usually compared his past experience with them as opposed to his present one with InGen. There was a peace that existed amongst the InGen staff that was nonexistent with Biosyn. Lawala didn't miss the Biosyn team at all. _"Team" isn't an accurate description, _he often thought. _Every person was out for themselves._

He could live without Roland Tembo's sweltering ego and Sonya Durant craving attention from her male co-workers. _Those two are made for each other,_ he thought, as he drove closer Ellie's greenhouse. _Tembo was stuck on himself and Sonya wanted him stuck on her. _They could have each other, as far as Lawala was concerned. He didn't miss Raúl Lopez's professional jealousy against Nedry. It was childish and ridiculous. If Lopez wasn't Dodgson's absolute favorite employee or if Lawala didn't share his passion for dinosaurs, he was impossible to be around. Lawala often considered himself lucky that Dodgson didn't favor him. He didn't want to deal with Lopez's green streak. Who else? _Howard King and George Baselton—two morons that hand-wash Dodgson's shit-stained underwear everyday on demand._ Lawala laughed aloud, remembering the time Nedry told him that. Henry Wu was a chameleon, trying to blend in with the Biosyn staff, but never truly fully fitting in since he had betrayed InGen to join their ranks. He would always be an outsider and unsure of himself. Lawala supposed those were the consequences of betraying one's true self for the sake of fame.

Lawala felt relieved that he didn't have to work with Biosyn anymore. At times he wondered if Dodgson would send the team after him, but he was confident that InGen had his back, if anything came up that he couldn't handle on his own. He was honored to be aligned with InGen and would remain loyal to them. Now he just had to tell Ellie and Malcolm about the meeting in the hatchery.

**oOo**

Gennaro disembarked from the company's helicopter followed by Tim and Lex. They had called Arnold in the control room when they were still on the mainland and he arranged to have a maintenance worker pick them up and bring them to the visitor center. They only waited a few minutes before a gas-powered jeep showed up. Gennaro sat on the passenger side in the front while Tim and Lex sat together in the back, talking amongst themselves. Soon they were on their way to the visitor center. It would only take ten minutes to arrive there. In the meantime, it gave Gennaro time to process the discharge meeting they had attended with Hammond and the conversation he had with Tim and Lex afterward.

First, the discharge meeting had been a great success. Because he didn't visit Hammond often on the mainland during Biosyn's reign, Gennaro wasn't aware of how much progress Hammond had made. He had found out some information from Malcolm before heading to the CIMA Hospital with Tim and Lex. It was apparent that Hammond looked forward to returning and that his bond with Tim and Lex was stronger than ever.

Gennaro's decision to invite Tim and Lex to the discharge meeting had been a deliberate one. He wanted to make amends for how he had treated them before. Gennaro was glad that Tim and Lex understood that his inviting them to the discharge meeting was a way to apologize and correct his wrongs. He didn't want to keep them in the dark anymore, and he was happy to answer all their questions during the trip back to Isla Nublar. The conversation between all three of them had been pleasant and showed that progress was being made to rebuild what had been broken between them.

While he was happy that Hammond would be returning soon, Gennaro also wondered if he or the staff would ever tell Hammond what occurred during his absence. The thought lingered in his mind. Gennaro wasn't sure how to bring it up to the park staff and he wondered if they had given it any thought. It was one of those things they would worry about when it finally happened. By now, Gennaro knew from experience that it was best to take a careful approach with anything concerning the island.

The worker parked the jeep in front of the visitor center and they got out. Tim and Lex ran up the steps and Gennaro followed behind. They had been discussing their grandfather's return in the helicopter with Gennaro and now their minds were focused on an entirely different topic…a topic that Hammond would've loved to discuss: _dinosaurs_. They had visited Grant before their flight to the mainland, and he had told them he was waiting for an egg to hatch.

"How does Dr. Grant know an egg will hatch today?" Lex wondered aloud.

"He just knows," Tim said. "Dr. Grant's psychic."

"You act like he has special powers."

"Of course he does." Tim grinned. "He's a paleontologist."

They reached the top of the steps and Gennaro was about to push the doors open, when they were opened from the other side.

"Perfect!" Grant said, holding the double doors open. "Just the people I was looking for!"

Tim and Lex bounded into the lobby with Gennaro trailing behind. Grant watched them and then headed towards the genetics' labs.

"Where are you going?" Gennaro asked.

"To the hatchery," Grant responded, not turning around. "Follow me over to the labs. We have something special planned for today. The entire staff is invited."

**oOo**

Ellie Sattler had worked everyday in the greenhouse since the time Biosyn had left the island. She was there day and night, clearing up wrecked equipment, working on repairs with Lawala and Malcolm, and cultivating new flora. It wasn't the same as before when Sonya destroyed the place—in fact, it was far _better_ now. She hated that Sonya had wrecked her greenhouse, but she loved that it was more productive than ever.

Her hard work had paid off. Everything broken and damaged had been removed, so that there was room to start over in the greenhouse. In a far corner of the greenhouse two new tables had been set up to place new tropical flowers. She had brand new shelves to place new equipment on. The fragrance of tropical flowers filled the greenhouse, adding to the pleasant and welcoming atmosphere.

"So when do you think the entire greenhouse will be finished?" Ian Malcolm asked. He stood next to Ellie, watching her pack soil into a flower pot.

"I don't know." She looked around the greenhouse and nodded approvingly. "It's heaps better than before."

"It definitely is," Malcolm agreed. "But you know, this reminds me—"

"Let me guess: your theory that beauty comes out of destruction?" Ellie poked his chest, leaving a smudge of dirt on his black leather jacket. "You have a theory for everything, don't you?"

"No, actually I don't."

Ellie smirked. "And what don't you have an answer for?"

Malcolm caught the mischievous gleam in her eyes. He was about to answer her question when he heard knocking from the outside. "I'll have to get back to you on that one."

"You do that."

Malcolm opened the door and was surprised to see Lawala on the other side. "Come in," he said, gesturing for him to enter the greenhouse.

Lawala walked inside. "Thanks, Dr. Malcolm." He gestured to a table that held various flowers. "I see Dr. Sattler's restored everything."

"Ah, just about. She still has more to go, but it's getting there." He winked in a joking manner. "Ellie's never finished—keep that between you and me."

"We'll see," Lawala said, trying not to laugh with Malcolm. "If she asks, I'll be sure to tell her."

"What's that I heard about me never being finished?" Ellie asked from behind. She took off her gardening gloves and went to greet Lawala. "How's it going?"

"He said you're never finished." Lawala chuckled. "It seems like you're finished to me, if you want my two cents."

Ellie squinted at Malcolm. "I'm sure he said that. Ian always has jokes." She clasped Malcolm's hand, squeezing it in her own. "So what brings you out here?"

"Everything's fine. I'm here to let you know that Dr. Grant wants everyone to meet in the hatchery as soon as possible."

Malcolm looked puzzled, but Ellie instinctively knew what it was about.

"He's still waiting for that one egg to hatch?" she asked.

"He hasn't given up yet," Lawala said. "He'd like for you guys to come over."

"What time would he like us to be there?"

Lawala glanced at his watch. "In ten to fifteen minutes. He wants everyone there by four."

"Okay, we can do that," Ellie said. "That sounds good. Would you like to have a look around the greenhouse before you go?"

"Sure thing," Lawala said, walking around the area. "Everything's going great." He checked out a familiar seven tier wooden shelf, making sure it was sturdy.

"It really is."

Ellie wondered if she should say more. She tended to view Lawala in a different light these days. In fact, it wouldn't be too far a stretch to say she actually _respected_ Lawala now. This was far different from the way she used to view him. She had hated him after he had shot her in the leg, when Biosyn had invaded the first time. She had hated him so much that she had she had surprised herself when she had told Nedry how to help him after the dilophosaur episode. It would've been easier to just drive off with Lex that day—but Lex being there pushed her to make the right decision to help Lawala. She didn't help him directly, but she had said enough so that he wouldn't be blinded for life. After that, she had pushed the incident to the back of her back mind, not wanting to remember it.

When Biosyn took over, she was forced to remember what had transpired between them, especially when she saw him stand side by side with Dodgson. During the months that Biosyn had occupied the island, Lawala, strangely enough, said little to her. He didn't speak much to her or anyone. She used to wonder if he was truly happy being involved with a group that took pleasure in destroying their competition. She received her answer the day Dodgson was forced to leave with his team, when she and the InGen staff found Lawala sitting on the visitor center's steps.

The time between then and now had been spent developing their rapport. It had its rocky moments, especially when Muldoon tried to convince her that Lawala wasn't as bad as she first thought. That was the same day the Biosyn team had left and Ellie had returned to her greenhouse. She had been locking up for the day and was surprised to find Muldoon waiting outside with a gas-powered jeep, ready to drive her back to the visitor center.

"Give him a chance," he had told her. "He's a decent guy who got mixed up with the wrong people."

Ellie had called Muldoon to ask him about Lawala. He had shown up at the greenhouse unexpected and she hoped the surprise didn't show her face.

Instead, she had told him, "No disrespect, Robert, because I know you have ties with him…but I'll have to see it to believe it."

Muldoon nodded. "He's ready to start working on your greenhouse." He drunk quickly and capped the flask. "That is, whenever _you're_ ready to work with him."

Ellie said nothing when Muldoon drove them back to the visitor center. When they arrived, Lawala was talking with Harding and Nedry as though he had always been with InGen. Lawala had greeted her politely.

"Would tomorrow be a good time to start?" he had asked.

"Sure," Ellie said. She had been aware of the snippy tone in her voice, and then said, "If you could come by around two in the afternoon, that'd be great."

She hadn't expected him to show up, and in a way, she hoped that he wouldn't, so that her fears would be confirmed: that Lawala wasn't sincere about his turnaround. But he _did_ show up and an hour earlier than planned. She had been sweeping dirt into a pile when she heard a knock on the door. When she saw it was Lawala, she almost hesitated to open the door for him. There was too much doubt and fear in her mind—and mostly anger. Nevertheless, she had invited him in and was pleasantly surprised to see he had brought tools and equipment to help her rebuild the greenhouse. They had worked together and only spoke when necessary. Most of their conversation constituted of Lawala asking her where she'd like to place extra bags of soil, cleaning up the wrecked and now useless equipment, or if she wanted to fix or dispose of a broken shelf.

There was an unstable seven tier wooden shelf in the back of the greenhouse that Ellie had been working on. Standing on a wobbly chair, she had been taking gardening tools off the top of the shelf and tossing them to the floor. Ellie had missed her step and nearly fell off the chair. Grabbing the shelf had been her first instinct and it almost crashed down on her—when Lawala rushed over to support her to keep her from falling. Ellie had got off the chair and together, she and Lawala set the broken shelf down on its side.

"Are you okay?"

Ellie didn't answer until he asked a second time. "Yeah, I'm good…thanks."

From then on, she had willed herself to give Lawala a chance and trust him. His gesture had been sincere and meaningful, and Ellie always kept it in the forefront of her mind. He had kept his word about helping her rebuild the greenhouse and she knew part of its present success was because of his dedication.

In working side by side with Lawala, Ellie also found that she changed too. She didn't harbor anger or bitterness towards him anymore, or even InGen. She was willing to involve herself more and let down her defenses. She found that she enjoyed working with Lawala and that Muldoon had been correct: Lawala was a decent guy. He was looking for a second chance and he had proved himself many times over. For that, Ellie was thankful and finally accepted him as part of the InGen staff. On that note, she decided she should say more to Lawala, who still looked around the greenhouse, making sure everything was set in place.

"Thanks for all your help, George. I really appreciate it."

Lawala came back around to where Ellie stood with Malcolm. "No problem. This greenhouse is looking a lot better these days. Have you considered expanding it?" He pointed at the rear of the greenhouse. "You could make extra room if you wanted."

Ellie blinked, surprised. "No, but if you're up for it, we can look into it."

"We'll talk about it sometime soon." Lawala opened the door, ready to head back to the visitor center. "I'm going to head back now."

"That sounds fine," Malcolm said. "Let Alan know we're running late." He smirked when Ellie elbowed him. "He won't mind."

"Alright then. I'll see you guys in a bit." He left the greenhouse, closing the door behind him.

Ellie stared at the door for awhile, and then turned her attention to a basket of assorted flower seeds. She arranged them in a different order and then shifted them around again. After a few minutes, she pushed the basket aside and turned around to fully examine the greenhouse. Smiling, she felt absolute pride once again, just as she had when Hammond asked her awhile back how everything was coming along with her greenhouse. There was order and serenity in the small structure—exactly as she liked it.

"Are you up to it?" Malcolm asked, concerned. "Making extra room in the greenhouse?"

Ellie looked up at him. "Why wouldn't you think so?"

"You're just very quiet…that's not like you," he said, tracing a strand of hair down her cheek. "Everything okay?"

"Yeah, it's just refreshing to see things go smoothly on this island." Malcolm was about to respond, when she put her hand over his lips. "That's not an invitation for you to start with your doomsday predictions." Ellie removed her hand and kissed him briefly. "From now on, you're going to be more positive."

Malcolm beamed. "After a kiss like that, how can I be negative?"

She kissed him again. "If that's what it takes for you to stay optimistic, then expect many more."

"I just might abandon chaos theory and mathematics now." He held up his pointer finger. "I said 'might', so don't get your hopes up."

Ellie laughed and allowed Malcolm to wrap his arms around her lovingly, as they enjoyed their moment together in the greenhouse.

**oOo**

Dennis Nedry and Ray Arnold both agreed that the control room needed a few touch-ups. The first was a new door, and the second was a new computerized door lock to prevent intruders from toying with Jurassic Park security in the future. A month before, the maintenance workers had replaced the old door that Roland Tembo had ruined with a brand new one. The task had been completed under Nedry's supervision.

Initially, Arnold was hesitant about leaving him alone in the control room to guide the maintenance workers. He would never have complete trust in Nedry. Although Arnold was grateful for Nedry's role (and the huge risk he undertook) in getting rid of Biosyn, he still couldn't bring himself to fully trust him, not after everything that had transpired during the past few years. Muldoon had talked him into giving Nedry a chance to do something right for InGen—something that didn't involve Biosyn, Dodgson, or anyone else. So Arnold let up and allowed Nedry to direct the maintenance workers on his own. He found out later that Nedry hadn't shed his sarcastic persona. A worker had complained, saying that Arnold should've been left in charge. His exact words were: _you know how to talk to people. That other guy should have his teeth pulled out with no anesthesia._

Afterward, Arnold decided to step in and work with him, and let the maintenance workers take care of other operations. The next step was to install a new security system. They decided on a biometric identification door lock. It would be different from the rest of the secured doors in the visitor center. Instead of using an InGen security card to gain access into the control room, a PIN (personal identification number) or a fingerprint would be needed. Keys and security cards weren't necessary. The program would allow usage of up to fifty users or fifty fingerprints, which was more than the usual amount of people regularly staffed in the control room. Everyone on the island: the InGen staff, Hammond and his grandchildren, Gennaro, Grant, Ellie, and Malcolm, would be the main people to have access to the control room. Using biometric technology, the system would be able to identify and authorize certain users and give them access to the control room.

"'_Biocav Fingerprint Recognition Deadbolt System,_'" Arnold read the container. "Not bad at all. Is it bulletproof?" he asked half-jokingly, while lighting a cigarette. "We don't want Tembo or anyone shooting off our new lock."

"I can't promise you that, but it's a good system. It's hacker-proof. That should be good enough, don't you think?"

"It's one hell of a system. It has an outside and inside unit, and even came with batteries."

"You should stock up on those," Nedry said, typing on the keyboard at his old workstation. "It takes four AA 1.5 alkaline batteries."

"We have plenty in the storage room. If not, I'll be sure to order more."

Nedry nodded. He was almost finished with programming the new security device, when he saw Lawala walking outside by the control room. Lawala stopped near the new steel door with bulletproof glass and eyed the new security lock before coming inside the control room.

"Want to be the first to see how the new system works?" Arnold asked him.

Lawala shrugged, standing near the door that was partway open. "Do I get paid?"

Arnold laughed. "No, but you get to be the first to make up your own PIN and have your fingerprint programmed into the system."

"I'll pass for now."

"Sure about that?"

"I'm sure. Actually, I need both of you to come to the hatchery."

Nedry didn't look up and kept typing. "What for?"

"Dr. Grant would like everyone to meet there as soon as you're finished."

"Well…" Arnold glanced at Nedry. "We're just about done. Is it important?"

Lawala nodded. "He wants everyone to meet at the hatchery by four o'clock." He glanced at his watch. "In about fifteen minutes."

"We just need to wrap this up and then we'll be there."

"Sounds good. I'll let him know." Lawala left the control room as quickly as he had entered.

"Wonder what's up," Arnold thought aloud. He went to his workstation to double-check the supply boat schedule. "You're almost done?"

"Just about. Programming this system is a synch. It'll be separate from the rest of the security in the visitor center, but that's okay. It's better that way since this room needs high security. Just make sure you get everyone's fingerprints and PINs before the day is over." He kept typing. "You should keep a file on your computer that only you can access. It should have everyone's PIN recorded just in case. I'm sure the systems keep it on file, but in case the system screws up, you have a back-up."

"Good idea."

Arnold put on his headphones and adjusted the mic. According to his schedule, a supply boat was expected to arrive at the east dock around three-thirty in the afternoon and leave shortly after five in the early evening. The video monitors at his workstation showed the supply boat at the dock. It had arrived on time, so now all he had to do was announce over the system the time in which it would depart: five o'clock or 1700 hours. It would be best to make the announcement now.

"A reminder: the boat for the mainland will be leaving at 1700 hours. All personnel should be at the boat no later than 1645. No exceptions." Arnold wiped his brow; it was very warm in the control room. "Are you going to program yourself into the system and add your own PIN and fingerprint?"

"No." Nedry shook his head.

"Why?" Arnold figured since Nedry had helped install the program, that it'd be best if he put his fingerprint and PIN into the system, even if it was just to test it out.

"I'm washing my hands clean of the whole thing," Nedry said, pushing away from the workstation. "It's up and running. You can make a master key-code and make sure someone else on the island knows it just in case, like Robert or Gerry. You're good to go." He stood up and stretched.

Arnold noted the bandages wrapped around right hand. Harding had done his best to mend Nedry's fingers after Lopez nearly shattered them again. Arnold decided it would be best to respect Nedry's wishes, although he wasn't sure about the whole matter of him "washing his hands clean", as he put it.

"Alright, I'll be sure to do that…thanks for your help."

"Don't mention it." Nedry went to the control room's door and fiddled with the new lock. "Let's go to the hatchery and find out what they want."

Arnold kept his headset on and stubbed his cigarette in an ashtray on his desk. "It's that time." He left the control room first and Nedry joined him. "I wonder what Alan's up to. He's been stuck there all day."

"It better not be about lizards. I'm sick of 'em."

**oOo **

Alan Grant sighed as he wiped away the sweat trickling down his forehead. He had been in the warm hatchery for hours, his attention focused on one particular dinosaur egg. Earlier, Grant had carefully removed it from the long table that held many eggs covered in mist. He had placed it in the center of the room and onto a platform holding a simulated nest made from hay, grass, and ferns. The cylindrical shaped egg was beige-brownish and had been set apart from the others. A sensor in the hatchery gently poked at it, indicating it would hatch soon. Eggs on the verge of hatching were placed there. The egg remained still, but every so often, it rocked back and forth. This slight movement gave Grant hope that today it would hatch.

He had mentioned it to Tim and Lex, before they had left with Gennaro to go to the mainland. Tim had been excited—but nowhere near as excited as Grant. This had been a long time coming and Grant now noticed the egg was peculiar and unlike any of the others he had seen previously in Jurassic Park's labs. The coloring, texture, and shape were different from the other eggs he had studied. When he arrived in the morning, he figured it'd be best to stay with the egg in case it hatched.

While waiting for the egg to hatch, he decided to invite everyone to the hatchery. Grant was aware that the park staff had recently pulled together in the past three months to help get the island and park back in order. Inviting the staff to the lab to witness a new dinosaur birth was the perfect moment to bring everyone together. He had asked for Lawala to pass the message to everyone to meet at the lab by four o'clock. Grant glanced at his watch. It was ten minutes to four and Lawala should be back any minute. In the meantime, he waited patiently with those who had shown up.

Gennaro, Tim, and Lex were the first to arrive after Grant met them at the visitor center's entrance. They had returned from visiting Hammond on the mainland and Grant ushered the group into the hatchery as soon as he saw them. Right now, Gennaro paced around the hatchery, examining the long table of dinosaur eggs, while Tim and Lex gathered around the platform, watching the egg Grant had told them about. They chatted excitedly about which dinosaur would be revealed when the egg finally hatched.

"I bet it's another maiasaura," Tim said. "They're so boring. They're the boringest dinosaurs that ever lived."

"'Boringest' isn't a word, Timmy," Lex said, matter-of-factually. "You meant to say 'the most boring'."

"Fine then, it's 'the most boring' dinosaur to ever walk the planet." Tim approached Grant, who stood near the dinosaur eggs. "Right, Dr. Grant? Aren't they boring?" He smirked as if he knew he would offend Lex by calling a maiasaura 'boring'.

"Every dinosaur species is unique," Grant said. "None of them are boring."

"Yeah, but don't you wish it was a more exciting dinosaur? Like a T-Rex?"

"Actually, no." Grant joined them. "Two rexes is more than enough for Jurassic Park."

"That's true," Tim said.

"The other side of the coin is that Dr. Harding was very happy to put a new maiasaura in the paddock today since one passed away months ago. So in light of that—"

"They're not so boring after all," Tim said, understanding Grant's viewpoint. "They're actually very peaceful."

"They are. When it comes to this one," Grant said, pointing at the beige-brownish cylinder-shaped egg, "I don't think it's a maiasaura this time."

Lex looked up, surprised. "Why not?"

"Their eggs have a smooth texture. This egg has a pebbly texture. If you run your finger on it, it feels like jagged pebbles. Go ahead, try it."

She did and nodded. "You're right; it's rougher than the other eggs. Which one do you think it is?"

Grant shrugged. "I'm not sure, but we'll find out soon."

They looked up when they heard the door swing open. Lawala came over to where Grant stood with Tim and Lex.

"She hatched yet?" Lawala asked.

"Nope. It's like she's waiting for everyone to show up," Grant said. "Thanks for telling everyone."

"No problem. I just came back from telling Dr. Sattler and Dr. Malcolm at the greenhouse. Ray and Dennis were the last ones to get the message. They should all be here in a few minutes." Lawala pointed at the door. "There's Robert and Gerry."

"We got the message," Muldoon said, as Harding closed the door behind him. "What's up?"

"We're waiting for this egg to hatch," Grant said, pointing at the long egg on the platform.

"This has been going on for all day, hasn't it?" Muldoon asked. "Since the morning?"

"Yes, but as I was just telling Tim and Lex…this one is different."

Harding came over to where Muldoon stood with Grant and Lawala. Tim and Lex stayed glued to the egg as though it'd hatch any second.

"What makes it different?" Harding asked.

"The texture is pebbly," Grant said, running his index finger on the egg's surface. "It doesn't match any I've seen before, or at least, none that I've seen hatch in Jurassic Park. The shape resembles a cylinder…very odd."

"It could be a dud."

"I doubt it. "We'll just have to wait and see."

The door opened and Arnold came in, followed by Nedry. Arnold had his headset on and Nedry's hands were shoved in his pockets. Strangely enough, Nedry looked as if though were going someplace. He carried around the backpack that he had brought to the island when he came to warn InGen. No one questioned him about it, although it was unsettling. Arnold waved briefly and then muttered something into his mic before coming over to the waiting crowd. Nedry followed behind him.

"Here we are," Arnold said, gesturing towards himself and Nedry. "We've just finished working on the door to the control room. Everyone can go there later on to make up a PIN."

"PIN?" Grant asked, unsure of what he meant.

"Personal Identification Number. It's part of a new security system that we just installed," Arnold said, proudly. "You'll see it in a little while."

Nedry nodded. "It uses your fingerprints."

Grant looked lost. Computers were still not his favorite thing in the world, although he appreciated their advances in aiding paleontology. "Sounds good."

"Anyone missing?" Arnold asked, looking around the hatchery.

"They just came in the nick of time." He motioned to Malcolm and Ellie, who came over to where everyone stood in the hatchery. "I hope I didn't interrupt you love birds," he joked.

"We're here, bright and early," Malcolm gestured to the egg that was the center of everyone's attention. "So what's this all about? You're expecting an egg to hatch? Do you know which one?"

Grant shook his head. "We'll find out soon enough."

"I'm sure you've been asked this question several times today."

"It makes the anticipation greater," Grant said, kneeling down, so that he was eye level with the egg. He gently prodded it with his index finger, and then stood up, facing the group. "Now that everyone's here, let's get started. First, everyone back up for a moment..."

He gestured to the left side of the hatchery that had built in platforms holding a plethora of lab equipment. The group shifted to that side of the room, everyone standing side by side. Malcolm and Ellie stood at the end, hands clasped together. Tim and Lex kept inching towards the platform to see the egg close up. Arnold and Harding talked quietly and kept their eyes on the egg. Next to them were Muldoon and Lawala. Gennaro stood by himself and Nedry was closest to the door. Grant picked up a box of rubber gloves and handed it to Malcolm.

"Take one pair and pass it down."

Malcolm took a pair of rubber gloves and then passed the box to Ellie, who removed a pair for herself. Everyone took a pair—except Nedry. He mumbled "no thanks" and put the box on the shelf. Everyone put their gloves on and kept their eyes on the center platform. The egg stayed perfectly still, but every so often, it slightly budged, as though it knew it was being closely watched by eleven pairs of human eyes.

"While we're waiting for the egg to hatch, Donald can give us an update on John," Grant said. "Any good news?"

"There is," Gennaro said. "Would you like to start, Lex? I'll finish up."

"Sure," Lex said. "Grandpa is schedule to be discharged before the end of this month. They just want to make sure he has all everything he needs for when they release him."

"The social worker wants to give him earliest release. She said it's best for him and he's already made so much progress while under the hospital's care," Gennaro added. "I'm going back next week to finalize the plans."

"That's wonderful," Ellie said, smiling. "It'll be great to have him back."

Harding, Muldoon, and Arnold exchanged nervous glances, but said nothing.

"Ah, I hate to put a damper on this good news," Malcolm said. "But has anyone thought about how we'll explain to Hammond what took place when he _wasn't_ around?"

There was a brief silence. No one answered Malcolm, but everyone was obviously uncomfortable. Tim and Lex looked at the adults in the room, hoping someone would answer Malcolm's question. Nedry looked away, silently acknowledging his guilt for his involvement in landing Hammond in the hospital. Muldoon's jaw tightened. Gennaro leaned against the wall and tapped his foot. Arnold sighed and Harding stared at the eggs in the hatchery. Lawala looked confused. Ellie tightened her grip on Malcolm's hand as though reprimanding him for asking such a question.

"Let's tell him together as a team..." Muldoon finally said. "There's been too much covering up...too much secrets and lies. We'll figure out a way to tell him." He looked around the room and saw everyone nodding in agreement.

Grant affirmed what Muldoon said. "It's best he knows, even if we just tell him slowly so that it doesn't overwhelm him. When he finds out the gravity of the situation, it will be hurtful for him, but this time, we'll push forward together. Don't worry, we'll do the right thing for your grandfather," he said, looking at Tim and Lex. They smiled in returned, silently thankful that for the first time in a long while, John Hammond would know what was really going on at Isla Nublar. "For now, we have to take care of this egg."

At the exact moment Grant finished saying "egg", a distinct crackling noise could be heard in the hatchery. It had come from the center of the room. Everyone heard it, because suddenly it became unusually quiet. The hatchery felt like it shrank in size as everyone huddled a little closer to the platform.

Grant approached the center platform with great care, making sure not to disturb the egg. He took out a pair of rubber gloves he had been carrying around in his back pocket and slipped them on. Gently prodding the egg with his protected index finger, he stopped when he realized his help was unnecessary. There was a tiny puncture on the elongated part of the egg shell.

"She's using egg teeth," he said, impressed. "I'll be damned…"

"Egg teeth?" Malcolm asked.

Grant nodded. "Egg teeth are tooth like structures found in several species that lay eggs. You see them in some lizards and snakes, and even some birds. The egg tooth is used for breaking the eggshell."

"Does this 'egg tooth' remain with the animal?" Arnold asked, joining the conversation.

Grant shook his head. "No, most times it falls off. Some animals, mainly reptiles, develop a horn on the outside layer of skin, while for others, it just falls off."

Grant raised his hand to the egg to turn it on its side, and then decided not to. From what he could see, there were three more punctures in the egg shell, and a crack—shaped like a lightning bolt—running along the side of the egg. Tim and Lex came over on both sides next to Grant, wanting to see the egg up close.

"Hold on one sec…let's wait till she hatches." Grant's tone was gentle yet firm, since he considered the egg hatching to be serious business. However, he was excited to see their curiosity. "It won't be too long." He pointed at two more cracks that had appeared while he was talking. "It's ready to hatch now."

Tim and Lex stayed near the platform, toying with the ferns and hay. Lex picked up a fern and brushed it against the egg. The egg swayed back and forth as though a light wind had gently pushed it. She put the fern on the hay and watched in amazement as another puncture formed on the shell. This time, a piece of eggshell jutted outward—as though was being pushed from within.

Lex pointed at the egg. "Dr. Grant—did you see that?"

"I see it too!" Tim said. "You're not the only one with eyes, _Alexis_." He frowned at her.

Lex pouted and they laughed.

Grant laughed along with them, and watched as the egg trembled again. At first, it was like a shiver and very slight, and then suddenly it shook violently. He was so focused on the egg that he barely heard Malcolm speaking. As a matter of fact, he didn't want Malcolm to ruin the mood with his usual diatribes about chaos theory. But Malcolm wasn't talking about chaos theory.

"So, we're not sure about what we're going to tell Hammond, or rather, _how_ we'll tell him," Malcolm was saying to the group. "Maybe that's fair… he didn't give anyone info about his emergency funds except me—I'm sure this isn't new to anybody by this point."

Grant suddenly looked up, completely distracted. He tore his gaze away from the dinosaur egg, and opened his mouth to speak, but no words came out. Up until now, Grant was under the impression that Malcolm had sent Lex to get him with his own money—not Hammond's. He racked his brains, trying to remember if Lex had told him about Malcolm being the only one who could access Hammond's funds. She probably had mentioned it to him, back when they were at Montana State University or during their flight back to Costa Rica. So much had happened between then and now, and Grant felt embarrassed that he had forgotten if Lex had told him this information. More than anything, he felt shocked and somewhat slighted that Hammond had trusted Malcolm—and not him—to be in charge of his emergency funds.

"That surprise is more than enough for today," Grant said, trying to keep the dryness out of his voice. He was on good terms with Malcolm and didn't want to ruin it. "It is what it is."

Malcolm either missed Grant's tone or simply shrugged it off. "I know it's hard to believe," he said. "John was very careful about who he trusted and spoke with. It would've been too obvious if he had given you access to his emergency funds, Alan."

Ellie and Grant looked at each other and then at Malcolm. No one could believe that Malcolm, of all people, had access to John Hammond's emergency funds. They weren't the only ones. Muldoon and Arnold didn't understand Hammond's reasoning. Harding didn't pretend to comprehend; he just believed it and let it go. Tim and Lex were entertained at the idea of their grandfather trusting the very person he had always argued with. Nedry kept looking at the doorway. Everyone else seemed nonchalant about the matter. Gennaro was strangely subdued because he had finally accepted it. Months ago, he was fuming when he first found out, but now, he was calm as he understood why Hammond made this decision. Lawala was indifferent, probably because he was still too new to InGen to appreciate the significance of Hammond trusting Malcolm with such private matters.

"Everyone thought Hammond and I hated each other, but that really wasn't the case. We just had a different approach to every subject. Professional disagreements shouldn't be confused with personal enmity. They're two different things."

"Sometimes they can overlap each other," Muldoon said.

"Yes, that's true in your case," Malcolm said, gesturing to Nedry and Muldoon. "Where it concerns John and I, let's just say I kept him on his toes."

"Just like this new egg keeps us on our toes," Grant said, redirecting everyone's attention to the dinosaur egg on the center platform.

Muffled squeaks could be heard coming from the egg. A jagged piece of egg shell fell to the hay, and thick brownish fluid mixed with blood oozed out. Tim was pointing frantically.

"Dr. Grant, I see an arm or a leg—"

Grant quickly went to the center platform. Sure enough, a forelimb with tiny claws was reaching out of the shell. The forelimb pulled back into the shell for a moment and then reached out again, swiping air. A scraping sound came from the egg followed by more squeaking. A brownish snout poked out. On top of the snout was a knobby ridge—the egg tooth. Grant carefully took off the remaining broken pieces of egg, placing them on the hay, to reveal a small stubby dinosaur.

"Hand me a tissue, Tim," Grant said, removing the rest of the egg shell. Tim grabbed a tissue from a nearby shelf and handed it to him. "Thanks."

He wiped the fluid off the baby's face and body and then disposed of the tissue. The dinosaur squeaked in protest, its greenish-yellow eyes focused on Grant. Grant placed the baby dinosaur down. She stumbled around in the hay and fell on her side, revealing her stomach. Grant gently cupped the baby in his hand and slowly turned her on her back. Now the dinosaur squealed loudly, her tiny legs flailing in the air.

"Interesting," Grant murmured. "No bony plates on the underbelly." He pressed his index finger gently against the stomach, noting how it pumped up and down rapidly. So far, the dinosaur was breathing well, a sign of good health.

Everyone was silent. All eyes were on the baby dinosaur.

Grant held the baby up for everyone to see and brought her down when he heard her scratchy cawing. She was frightened by all the human faces surrounding her, so Grant placed her back down in the little nest of hay.

"Which one is it?" Tim asked. "It looks like a spiked tank with a flail at the rear."

Grant's eyebrows knitted together. "I'm not sure. Ellie, get the book that Henry used."

Ellie looked on the shelf behind her and found a thick black binder sitting at the end of the ledge. The binder held photographs of baby dinosaurs, their species names, and descriptions. It was packed with information of how long the babies could stay in the nursery, their sleeping and nursing habits, what formulas to give them, and the proper time to integrate them into the park setting. Wu and his team had used the book as a guide and added to it while the park was being built. Usually Grant didn't need it to identify a dinosaur, but this species was totally different.

Ellie flipped through the plastic sheets. "I can't find it, Alan."

Grant looked up. "Check again. Maybe you missed it."

She looked at the baby dinosaur again, noting its unique appearance. The neck and legs were short and thick. The rear legs were longer than the front legs. Surprisingly, the feet had five toes. The head was wide and triangular. Tiny stubs protruded from the head. When the dinosaur was fully mature, the tiny stubs would grow into horns—or spikes. Ellie stopped to glance at a page that detailed baby triceratops. She looked at the picture at the baby triceratops, and then at the baby dinosaur, comparing them both. It wasn't a triceratops. It didn't have a bony crest behind the head. She did notice something fascinating—the baby's entire back was covered by armor plates. Along the back were solid ridges—they would become spikes when the dinosaur reached adulthood. Ellie flipped through the book again. The most startling feature was the tail: there was a little club at the end of it, the size of a marble.

She flipped through the binder once more. "It's not listed here…I went through all fifteen already."

Everyone was getting tense in the room, but for once, it was good since everyone anticipated discovering which dinosaur had hatched from the egg. Suddenly the realization dawned on Grant—the baby dinosaur in his hands—this was _the sixteenth species_!

During Biosyn's reign, many baby dinosaurs had died. Wu's fertilization lab had been mess of broken egg shells, messy yokes, and a fishy stench. Everyday before he left, Wu dumped out the trash as though he were trying to get rid of something or cover up his tracks. He had left these eggs in the hatchery unattended when he abandoned InGen. After Dodgson's team left for good, the InGen staff cleaned up the hatchery as much as possible, sterilizing and disinfecting it from floor to ceiling. They had been extremely careful to not knock over the eggs. Grant thought maybe Wu had forgotten about them.

"So which one is it?" Arnold asked. "It doesn't look like any dinosaur we have out in the park."

"It's not…" Grant said. "_This_ is the sixteenth species."

A hush fell over the room.

Ellie smiled as she put the binder aside. Malcolm stood with her, his arm wrapped around her waist, his eyes focused on the squealing baby dinosaur in Grant's hands.

The park staff was stunned. Harding, Arnold, and Muldoon stared wide-eyed, wondering where they would put this new species. Grant already had an idea of where they could begin building a habitat for the baby—in the old raptor pen. It could be bulldozed and reconstructed to make a mini paddock for the new species. Lawala leaned forward to get a better look. He was definitely amazed. This was his first time seeing a dinosaur born on the island and Grant knew he was savoring the moment. Gennaro stared in awe at the baby dinosaur. It was the first time Grant saw a rare softness in his eyes that didn't translate to how much money he could make off the animal. Nedry yawned. Grant knew he had enough of dealing with the "lizards". At the same time, from the way Nedry kept glancing at the baby dinosaur, Grant could tell that he was actually impressed. Tim and Lex stood on both sides of Grant, their hands raised in the hopes that he would let them hold the baby dinosaur.

"So which one is she?" Harding asked, breaking the silence.

"It's an ankylosaur…and not just any ankylosaur, but _Crichton's ankylosaur_ to be exact."

Lex said, "It sounds like it was named after someone greatly respected."

"It was," Grant said.

"Who's _Crichton_?"

"He's a writer who popularized paleontology with his novels about dinosaurs." Grant's smile was present in his voice. Anyone who brought paleontology to the forefront was admirable in his book.

"I have to find his books then," Lex decided.

"Not into sports anymore?"

"She's a bookworm!" Tim blurted. "She was a nerd, but now she's a bookworm. Did you read his books, Dr. Grant?"

"I read one. What he wrote makes what happened here look like a walk in the park."

"What did he write?" Muldoon asked. He, Arnold, and Harding gathered around, observing the baby anklyosaur squirming in Grant's hands.

"People getting disemboweled…eaten alive…scientists with huge egos, stubborn entrepreneurs…" Grant smirked at Malcolm. "Opinionated professors that loved to predict doomsday."

Nedry frowned at the mention of 'disemboweled'. He glanced at the clock on the wall.

"Sounds like a best-seller," Arnold said.

"It was," Grant said, serious again. "The title slips my mind, but I'm sure Lex would love the book. It's told in a child's point of view."

"Hey!" Lex stomped her foot, playfully. "We're not kids anymore."

"Alright then, you're a 'young adult'."

"Much better."

"I should say it was told in a_ teenager's_ point-of-view," Grant said, amending his words. "The main character sees a lot of things happen...gory, bloody...and also that greed leads to destruction...sometimes people ignore blatant warnings. It's a great novel."

"Why did they name it after him?" Gennaro asked. "Is there some history behind the name?"

"Yes," Grant said, holding the squealing baby dinosaur close to him. "The scientific name is _Bienosaurus crichtonii_. Back in 1938, a researcher named Mai N. Bien discovered partial lower jaw and skull fragments in Southern China. The scientific name of the dinosaur "bienosaur" is named after him. It's like saying 'Bien's lizard'. The skull fragments were found to be most similar to that of an ankylosaur."

"I wish I had a dinosaur named after me," Malcolm said, chuckling.

Grant shot him an amused look. "I bet you do, Ian. It'd probably be _chaosaurus_."

Everyone laughed.

"Now can we hold the dinosaur?"

Lex elbowed her brother in the ribs. "Stop being rude, Timmy."

"Sorry, Dr. Grant," Tim said, sheepishly.

Grant smiled. "It's fine, Tim. Just wait one second." He loved their enthusiasm. He wished more adults possessed the same passion when it came to dinosaurs. Some adults had the right heart and pure motives and others allowed their swollen egos, greed, and irresponsibility to get in the way. Still, he was glad that Tim was thrilled since his excitement proved to be contagious.

"What exactly is Crichton's ankylosaur?" Lex asked.

"Good question," Grant said. "I'll get to why it's named after Crichton. First, the name 'ankylosaur' translates to _fused lizard_ based on the bony plates fused together into the skin. Ankylosaur was an armored dinosaur built low to the ground. It weighed about four to five tons and was about twenty to thirty-five feet long. Its brain was encased by a broad skull. It was a herbivore, so that should make you happy, Lex."

"It only ate plants."

"That's right—mostly low-living plants. It also had low intelligence, but don't let that or its size fool you. The entire top of ankylosaur was heavily protected with thick, oval plates that were set into the animal's leather skin." Grant set the baby ankylosaur down on the hay, and gestured to the knobs protruding from the back. "Two rows of sharp spikes ran along the body so that predators couldn't attack by jumping on the animal." He ran his finger along the dinosaur's back and the pointed at the tiny wagging tail. "They even used their clubbed tail to defend themselves. The two protruding horns found on the back of the head were for extra protection. Even its eyes were protected by bony plates."

"Sounds invincible walking around with all that armor," Muldoon said.

"Almost," Grant said, holding up his index finger. "The only way to wound ankylosaurs was to flip it over since the under-belly had no plates for protection."

"So then how is what you're describing different from Crichton's ankylosaur?" Tim pressed.

"It has to do with where the remains of the dinosaur were found. Most were found in Montana and in Canada. You see, ankylosaurs have been estimated to have existed around the late Cretaceous period. While most of the fossils were found in North America, others were discovered in Southern China, and it wasn't until recently that they were identified as being the bones of an ankylosaur. Dong Zhiming, a dinosaur specialist, named the ankylosaur after Crichton because his novels were popular in China."

"Ankylosaurs were named by Barnum Brown in 1908," Tim said, finishing up Grant's mini-lecture.

"Correct. What's special about this particular one is that scientists think it might've been bipedal."

"Meaning it walked on its two hind legs."

"Right, Tim." Grant smile broadened. "Ankylosaurs are known to be quadrupedal, so it'll be interesting to see how she develops. We can find out if the theories proposed by Zhiming and others are true."

"What else should we know about ankylosaurs?" Arnold asked. "Now that we have a new species, we have to take care of it. There's probably more of them around."

"Are there more eggs?" Harding asked.

"There are many more." Grant pointed at a long table against the far wall. "I remember Henry saying they'd produce hundreds of eggs because only a tiny percentage would survive."

A huge batch of beige-brownish eggs sat in enormous nest of hay and ferns. The eggs had labels attached to them with codes written in ink. Harding walked over to check on the labels. Most of them read the same thing: "Presumed Anky". The codes read "XXXX-0001/16," "XXXX-002/16," "XXXX-003/16" and continued to count consecutively until the number "20". The number to the right of the slash symbol always read "16". Harding figured that meant the sixteenth species. Two eggs moved slightly, while the rest lay still. An overhead thermal sensor swept past the eggs, monitoring them.

"I wrote 'Presumed Anky' on several of them," Grant said. "I'm expecting at least two to three more to hatch before the end of today. I don't know the exact time it will happen, but someone has to be here for it. I'm pretty sure they're ankylosaurs. They have the same size and shape this little one had." He tapped the tiny dinosaur on the head.

"So we'll keep an eye on them," Harding said, coming back to the group. "Meanwhile, the little one will stay in the nursery for some time until we place her in the park."

"We can put her in the old raptor pen," Muldoon said, turning to Harding, who nodded.

"I was just about to say that," Grant said. "You could tear it down and rebuild a new enclosure. Since they're plant eaters, you won't have difficulty feeding them."

"Thank God for that. I've told George how disgusting those raptors were."

"I heard all about it," Lawala said. "And I know all about it too." He switched to a brighter note. "When do we get started on rebuilding the new pen?"

"Whenever," Muldoon said. "What does everyone think?"

The hatchery was quiet, save for the sound of the baby's squeals.

Ellie said, "I think we should start outlining the project tonight, so that we can have an early start tomorrow."

"That'd be great, Dr. Sattler," Muldoon said. "Thanks."

"No problem. I'm happy to help out in anyway possible." She smiled, but her eyes were glistening. "It's a shame that John isn't here to witness this. The first time we were here," she paused and gestured at Grant, Malcolm, and Gennaro, "he told us he had witnessed the birth of every single animal on the island."

"He's coming back soon," Muldoon said, gently. "Isn't that what they told you, Donald?"

Gennaro nodded. "They're working on his discharge plans as we speak."

"I know; I just wish he was here…that's all."

An awkward silence followed. The hatchery seemed to grow warmer than usual and everyone was fidgety. Grant took the opportunity to lay down the ankylosaur and gently brush off the egg-like fluids coating the body. The baby squealed in protest as Grant rubbed his index finger along its spine.

"I know we're on the topic of John," Arnold said, somewhat hesitant, "but he's not the one I'm thinking about."

"Who's on your mind?" Ellie asked.

"It's Henry…" Arnold stared at the baby ankylosaur scampering in the hay, playing with Grant. "It's sad that he wasn't around to see his success…" his voice trailed off as he gestured at the dinosaur. "I wonder if he even knew—"

"He knew."

Everyone turned around, their attention diverted from the new dinosaur. Even Grant looked up, shocked. Nedry remained unfazed by everyone staring at him. It was the first time he had spoken since entering the hatchery.

"He knew about it."

Arnold held Nedry's eyes for a full minute and finally turned away. Muldoon caught their exchange, unsure of what to make of it. Nedry's expression remained blank. Arnold looked genuinely hurt and Muldoon knew what it was: Arnold still couldn't accept Wu's betrayal. _You have to let it go, Ray, _Muldoon thought. _Not everyone is as loyal as you._ Muldoon respected Arnold and didn't want his friend to emotionally rot because of one man's selfish actions and calculating deception.

Harding quickly redirected everyone so that Nedry's statement wouldn't further ruin anyone's mood. "We had fifteen species when we started out," he said. "Then we got rid of the raptors, so the number dipped to fourteen."

"And now we're back to fifteen species' again," Grant said, holding the baby anklyosaur.

"Wait a minute—when we got rid of the raptors, did anyone know about this at the time?" Muldoon asked. "How long have Henry and John been successful in cloning this species? That means the number was fifteen all along."

"Henry never told us if he and John were successful," Arnold said. "They kept the entire project under wraps."

"So when we killed off the raptors, we were down to fifteen species—rather than fourteen?" Muldoon asked to confirm. "And he didn't tell us anything? I'm talking about John now."

"When we killed the raptors, we did have fourteen species on the island," Harding said, trying to clear up the confusion. "So even though we may have had fifteen then, we didn't know it because we didn't know Henry was successful. It was fourteen at the time. We started out with fifteen species, lost one, and gained a new one. Now we're back to fifteen like Dr. Grant said."

The ankylosaur's squealing interrupted the puzzled silence in the hatchery. It sounded as though she had agreed with Harding's comments about being the species that evened out the population in Jurassic Park.

"Now can I hold her, Dr. Grant?" Tim asked; keeping his hands cupped together.

"Sure, just be gentle with her." Grant was about to give the baby to Tim, when he stopped. "Make sure you put on latex gloves for your protection."

Tim raised his hands that were shielded with latex gloves. "I put them on before...remember?"

Grant nodded. "Okay, hold on a sec."

Arnold glanced at the clock on the wall and then at his watch. "I have to announce this over the system quickly. Be right back." He went outside of the hatchery, still wearing his headset. Seconds later, everyone heard Arnold's booming voice over the public announcement system. "Shuttle for the dock leaves in approximately fifteen minutes. Drop what you're doing and leave now." He came back in, wiping his forehead and removing his headset, allowing it to rest around his neck. "Man, it's hot in here or is it just me?"

"The hatchery has to be kept heated at all times," Grant said.

"How hot is it?"

"Ninety-nine degrees Fahrenheit." Grant pointed at a device on the wall that monitored the hatchery's temperature. "The relative humidity is one-hundred percent and I remember Henry mentioning the oxygen concentration being higher than usual in here. It's ideal Jurassic atmosphere so that the eggs can thrive."

Arnold shrugged. "I guess that's good enough."

"It is. It's the best John could do."

"He did a bloody fine job," Muldoon said in a low voice. "All this time we tried to outwit him or keep secrets from him, but he was far ahead of us right from the beginning."

Everyone silently agreed. John Hammond _had_ gotten over on everyone. He wasn't physically present, and yet, everyone felt him there, as though he were standing beside them, having the last laugh. "Project 16" turned out to be an overwhelming success. Hammond didn't quit, even with the growing threat of Lewis Dodgson and Biosyn. He kept right on, refusing to let his competition stop him. Nor did he allow his staff to talk him out of his aspirations. When he finally succeeded in cloning the sixteenth species, he never let on which species it was. He didn't even list it as one of the ten possible species that he and Wu set out to clone!

In the end, Hammond showed that he was able to keep secrets, too. This was unsettling to his staff, especially the fact that he gave Malcolm access to his emergency funds. There was a method to his madness, as the old cliché went, and perhaps it had worked out for the best. Jurassic Park had a new dinosaur species and there was no other direction to go except forward—which is exactly what Hammond would've wanted.

Tim's insistence broke the thoughtful silence. He was immediately by Grant's side again, holding up his cupped hands and waiting expectantly. This time he wore latex gloves. "Now I can hold her, Dr. Grant? Please?"

Grant passed the ankylosaur to Tim. The baby dinosaur wriggled in his hands.

"Hold her firmly," Grant warned. "She'll try to get out of your hands if you're not careful."

"Okay." Tim held her close to his chest. "I can feel her heart beating—you should hear it!"

Grant nodded and then he heard an unmistakable sound—cracking—it sounded like an egg. Lawala pointed at the table that contained the batch of eggs Harding had looked over.

"I heard it too," Lawala said. "It came from over there, the front row."

Grant rushed over and picked up the third egg in the first row. Sure enough, the egg showed the faintest hint of breaking. A thin line, like a vein, forked in front of the egg. The crackling came again and Grant placed the egg on the nest of hay where the first ankylosaur had hatched on.

Tim petted his ankylosaur named after the famous writer. "Now you can hold one, Lex. One for you and one for me."

Ellie nudged Lex, excitedly. "Get some gloves so you'll be ready for the next one that hatches."

"I have mine on already, El." Like Tim, she held up her hands for Ellie to see. Ellie nodded approvingly and Lex went to stand next to Tim, eager to hold a baby ankylosaur.

Malcolm took the opportunity to preach to everyone. "It's like I said before: everything reaches a state of equilibrium on its own time. Everything evens out in the end, you can't force it. Things balance and work themselves out on their own time. The problem is humans tend to rush things. They want the glue to dry faster than thirty seconds. They leave the house late to get to work, and expect to get there on time. Human beings want everything speeded up. But life doesn't work that way, it never does and it never will. Things happen on their own time. Nature has to be allowed to take its course. Only then does it reach true equilibrium."

"Get to the point, Ian," Grant said, half-jokingly. "We've got some eggs to watch for.

Malcolm smiled. "I would say life found a way, but perhaps 'the circle of life' is more appropriate."

"Please don't sing," Ellie said, grinning. "Stick to chaos, it suits you."

Everyone laughed. When the laughter died down, the only sound heard was the ankylosaur's squeals of delight as she snuggled against Tim's chest; her tiny heart beating contently now that she had found warmth and comfort.


	24. Epilogue

**Epilogue**

Robert Muldoon stepped back and watched the entire scene unfold in the hatchery. He was deeply moved when seeing the happiness glowing on everyone's faces, especially Tim Murphy's, as he cradled the recently hatched _Crichton's ankylosaur. _The scene was so beautiful that it seemed dreamlike. After going through so many trials and tribulations, InGen had finally been rewarded in a grand manner. Muldoon believed it was well-deserved.

Everyone was preoccupied by Jurassic Park's newest addition and barely noticed when Dennis Nedry quietly left the area.

Muldoon noticed right away and quickly followed him. Before leaving the hatchery, he made eye contact with Ray Arnold and mouthed "_be right back_". Arnold nodded, but the puzzled expression didn't remain on his face too long. Like everyone else, he was awestruck by the success of Project 16. _Crichton's ankylosaur _had a captive audience at that moment.

_Where's he going? _Muldoon asked himself. He watched Nedry rush through the front entrance of the visitor center and wondered if he should continue pursuing. _I have to—he can't just leave like that. _Yet, Muldoon knew there were far more important things to think about, aside from Nedry making a swift getaway.

For one thing, Hammond's project to clone a sixteenth species had been amazingly—and surprisingly—successful. Muldoon never would've guessed that John Hammond and Henry Wu had managed to accomplish this feat and keep it a secret from everyone on the island. It was terrific, but it also brought up other thoughts that he'd rather not think about such as what to do about Wu's absence since he left with Biosyn. Muldoon wondered if InGen would replace him…hire a new chief geneticist. The mere idea of replacing Wu was daunting to Muldoon. To give another geneticist an opportunity to learn about InGen's accomplishments wasn't a trivial task. Muldoon frowned when he thought about it. He hoped Wu would eventually return to InGen…that would be the best case scenario.

Even more heartwrenching was explaining to Hammond that not only had Wu betrayed them for Biosyn, but that there were no more velociraptors on Isla Nublar. Muldoon wanted to believe after all this time, Hammond would have the common sense to understand why they had been eliminated without his consent. He may not appreciate it, but Muldoon didn't expect Hammond to be grateful. He just wanted him to accept it. The reasoning was obvious enough, but Muldoon reminded himself that Hammond might still value the animals over his own life and safety—despite everything that had happened.

What about Biosyn's brief reign? _Does John have to know about that too? _ Muldoon sighed as he slowly approached the entrance where Nedry had exited. The raptors' extinction and Dodgson's minions taking over the island paled in comparison to Wu's betrayal. While Muldoon was glad that Hammond would be returning to the island, the very subject of _how_ to relay to him everything that had taken place was exhausting to contemplate. _Then again, we agreed we would tell him the truth and not keep secrets…that's a step forward, _he thought. Muldoon allowed himself to settle on that thought. He had learned—and also everyone on InGen had learned the hard way—that it was best to be honest and straightforward. Lying, keeping secrets, and covering up proved to be far more damaging. It was great that everyone on staff agreed to be truthful with Hammond, and Muldoon was certain it would bring everyone closer together.

On that note, Muldoon reflected on all the good that had come about in the recent months. He could focus all day on what had gone wrong, but now he decided to consider and magnify all the positive turnarounds. Just being in the hatchery with everyone showed Muldoon how much everything had changed. Much of the relationships had been restored amongst the park staff. _Dr. Malcolm, Ellie, and Dr. Grant are friends again. _Muldoon remembered all the times when Grant and Malcolm couldn't be in the same room together without Ellie feeling awkward. Now their friendship had been renewed. _Donald had invited Tim and Lex to see John. _Tim and Lex had given Gennaro a second chance after everything he had done, and so far, they were rebuilding their rapport. _Ray and I are back to business. _Muldoon smiled at that last thought. It was really nice to have his friendship with Arnold, strengthened and alive. It had been strained for so long with all the tension due to Biosyn's reign and the situation with Nedry. Muldoon was relieved that he and Arnold had worked on healing their friendship. He knew Arnold felt the same way.

There were other things to celebrate, too. InGen's newest addition, George Lawala, blended in really well with everyone. Muldoon was pleased to see that Ellie gave Lawala a chance, and now they got along great. Ellie's greenhouse had been completely restored, thanks to Lawala and Ellie working together to make it happen. Harding was completely at peace. The dinosaurs in the park were no longer getting sick. In fact, he had commented to Muldoon just yesterday that this was the first time in a long while that all the animals in the park showed optimal health.

Upon fully reflecting everything, Muldoon came to accept that the present situation on Isla Nublar was a mix of good and bad. _That's life for you, _he thought, half-smiling. _Some things work out for the best, and others don't. There isn't a straight answer to everything. _On that note, he remembered he was following after Nedry.

Muldoon quickly opened the visitor center's doors just in time to see Nedry climb into a gas-powered jeep. The jeep was on the dirt path leading into the park, and was right in front of the visitor center. Nedry looked as though he planned to leave the island. Muldoon saw him insert the ignition key and wasted no time rushing down the steps to catch him before he drove away. The car rumbled to life just as Muldoon got to the window.

"Dennis!"

Nedry looked up at the sound of his name and quickly put the jeep in park mode. "You need to be more careful. I could've run over your feet!"

Muldoon gestured at the jeep. "Where are you going?"

"To a place far away where I can enjoy my freedom while I still have it," Nedry said, reaching over to buckle his seatbelt.

Muldoon tried to keep the anger out of his voice. "After everything's that's happened, you still only think of yourself."

"No one else will do it for me."

"You're a coward with no spine." Muldoon's eyes bored into Nedry's like lasers. He didn't know why he said what he did next, but it spilled from his mouth before he could stop himself. "You have a prison term to finish serving."

"And you have a prison to tear down and rebuild. Isn't that fun?"

"It's not a prison—it's an enclosure."

"Same thing, different words." Nedry smirked. "If it has four walls and limits your movement, then it's a prison."

"So you think it's better to let the animals roam wherever they like?

"I didn't say that. I just think—aw, never mind. I have to go." He turned on the gas-powered jeep.

Muldoon was relentless. "Why'd you say that about Henry back there? You did that just to hurt Ray."

"No, I didn't. He's a stupid traitor—Henry is. He's a fool."

"And you're not? You're not a traitor or a fool?"

"I've made mistakes."

"But have you learned from them?

Nedry said nothing. He stared through the windshield, refusing to acknowledge Muldoon's question.

"I see how it is. You want no one else to share the title with you."

"What title?"

"The title of being traitor to InGen."

"Don't be stupid, Robert." Nedry rolled his eyes. "It's not a proud title to have."

"You know something…the same day you were sentenced, Henry was backing you up. Ray couldn't believe you had betrayed us to Biosyn, and there was Henry defending you, talking about your brilliance."

"What were you doing at the time?"

"Telling Ray that he was in denial."

"Just like I'm doing now? Isn't it funny how history repeats itself?"

"And I was telling them you got the sentence you deserved."

Again, Muldoon wasn't sure why he was going in this direction with Nedry. Then he realized what it was. _There's unfinished business between us._ There were unresolved issues: he wanted answers to his questions. And he was damn sure he'd get them before Nedry escaped the island.

Nedry held Muldoon's glare. "I suppose I did, but I'm not going to finish serving it, not if I can help it." He stared ahead, imagining his life as a free man. "It's time for me to leave." He started the jeep and stopped again when Muldoon grabbed the steering wheel. "What the hell are you doing? Get off!"

"I need to know the truth, Dennis."

"What truth?"

"You know 'what truth'."

Nedry turned off the jeep and the rumbling silenced. "Oh, that…you want the abridged version?"

"No, I want the _entire_ truth."

"About what?" Nedry sounded annoyed.

Muldoon stared at him, incredulous. "After all this time, you don't know what I'm talking about?"

"Hey, I'm no mind-reader. Here I am about to make my great escape and you stop me in my tracks because you want to hear 'the truth'. What's up with that?"

"Why are you leaving?"

"Why do you think I'm leaving? Isn't the answer obvious?"

Muldoon folded his arms across his chest.

"Do me a favor and don't give me the silent treatment," Nedry said, sighing. "Just hurry up and speak your mind. I have a boat to catch."

Muldoon finally let up. "I want answers to my questions—and I expect complete honesty."

Nedry relaxed in the driver's seat. "Ask away."

He had to ask—and he had to know. If he never asked, then he would never know. "Are you sorry for anything that's happened here?"

"Oh…that question…there are things I regret doing and there are things I'm not sorry for." He locked eyes with Muldoon. "Which do you want to hear first?"

"You decide."

"Fine then…I wouldn't go so far as to saying I'm sorry for this…I see it more as an explanation."

"And that is?"

"Why I betrayed John. On Sorna, you kept asking me—"

"And no smart-ass comments. I can do without the sarcasm."

"Fair enough." This time, Nedry averted his eyes from Muldoon's. "I betrayed him because of what he did. He overworked me beyond what my contract stated and wanted extreme changes made at the last minute—not minor system glitches—and it's true there were many computer bugs. I'm talking about a major overhaul. I worked in the dark for him the entire time because he never let on exactly what he needed the systems for and now he comes around saying he doesn't like the system I designed, that he wanted major changes."

"Okay…so…"

"So he didn't want to pay me. If I'm expected to do extra work, then you better believe I'm going to ask for an increase in salary—something to compensate for the extra time I'm putting in. He refused, so in turn, _I_ refused to do what he wanted. Keep in mind that I had no idea that the systems I was designing were for this!" Nedry gestured towards Jurassic Park. "I had no idea it was for an amusement park lizard zoo."

Muldoon blinked. He was totally unaware of Nedry's side…he had always heard Hammond's point of view on the matter. "Go on."

"It didn't stop there. My clients were calling me, saying they received letters about me that said I was unreliable. I had worked very hard to build my reputation in my field, and because John wasn't getting what he wanted out of me, he was this close," Nedry paused and held up his left thumb and pointer finger very close together, "to derailing my career. He was threatening to file lawsuits against me, even though it was _him_ who wasn't willing to pay me for my extra work. His side of the issue was that the changes should've been under the original contract."

"But they weren't?"

"Nope. I was forced to make the changes he wanted, while still paid that lousy salary. Screw that. I don't work for free. If I didn't make the changes he wanted, he would've taken me to court. "

It now dawned on Muldoon the desperation and anger Nedry must've felt. _Anger…more like rage,_ Muldoon thought. Even though he still believed Nedry was wrong to betray the company—he could see why Nedry felt as he did. "He was blackmailing you..."

"Exactly. I was tired of the whole JP project and all the threats. It was beyond stressful and aggravating. Then Dodgson comes along and the rest is history. He offered me enough money that would beat my annual salary for the next ten years. One million point five—tax free! How could I not accept?"

"So you're not sorry about betraying Hammond."

"I didn't say I would apologize. I said I would explain myself."

"Answer the question," Muldoon demanded. "Are you sorry or not?"

Nedry shook his head. "No. I'm not sorry." His expression read: _satisfied now?_ "I was wrong…I know that's what you want to hear. I was totally wrong for betraying John, but I'll be real with you: I'm not sorry because I needed the money he was holding back from me. He was threatening my career. What I did was wrong, but I would be lying if I were to tell you that I'm sorry for betraying him."

Muldoon nodded, digesting everything. He noticed that Nedry had repeated himself—probably to drive the point home. He took a step back, ready to let Nedry go on his way. It's not like he could really stop him from doing what he wanted.

"I didn't finish answering your question. See, a traitor's heart isn't as cold as you think. Where it concerns Henry, it might be."

"Do you think he'll come back?"

"Hard to say. Right now he doesn't realize the consequences of being a traitor."

Muldoon glanced at the lake in front of the visitor center. "And what are the consequences?"

"Aside from jail time, there are personal consequences. One of them is having no friends; no one to confide in. Who wants to hang out with a two-faced liar? Roland was right when he said a traitor is the loneliest of all men." Nedry rested his bandaged hand on the steering wheel. "I'm not having a pity party on myself. I know what I did and I have to live with the consequences."

"Where does Henry figure into this?"

"He's out there now with Dodgson and doesn't realize the big mistake he's made in leaving InGen. Lew is charismatic, but he's ruthless. Henry would've been better off staying with InGen and waiting patiently for the park to open or whatever it is he's looking for."

"Fame."

"Fame, fortune—whatever it is, if he knows he's wrong, he'll be too proud to admit it. Or he might be too ashamed."

"I can see that." Muldoon walked around the jeep so that he stood on the other side, closer to the lake in front of the visitor center. A light breeze blew around them as the sun dipped lower in the sky.

"When and if he decides to return, just accept him back. Don't go shooting him like you did me."

Muldoon smiled wryly. "I won't."

Nedry was silent and Muldoon figured he was done. _I should've known he wouldn't fully answer my questions. _Muldoon shrugged, disheartened. Why did he think Nedry would actually tell him what he wanted to hear?

"To get back to what you asked me…I _am_ sorry for a lot of things…"

Muldoon had been staring at the lake, his back turned to Nedry. He turned around when he heard Nedry's voice trail off. Nedry stared at the steering wheel, concentrating hard. Muldoon was going to respond, but quickly silenced. He needed to hear what Nedry had to say. If he spoke now, Nedry would stop and never say a word about it ever again. Somehow, Muldoon knew that to be the case.

"I'm sorry I didn't leave Dodgson sooner. If I had, he wouldn't have been able to get the raptors—I should've left the same day he told us we had to get those disgusting lizards."

Muldoon was thoroughly shocked by what he was hearing. He couldn't comprehend it and yet…

"I really am sorry for what happened to you and John," Nedry murmured. "I'm sorry for everything that went down on this island. It was never my intention, the day I let the raptors out—" He stopped, stumbling with his words. "I never meant for you to get injured or for John to have a stroke and end up in the hospital. It's my fault he ended up there and stayed there for months. I hated working for John, but I didn't want to hurt him…"

An open bleeding wound in Muldoon's psyche slowly sealed shut. "If you felt this way the whole time…why didn't you say it?"

"Because no one would've believed me—especially you." Nedry looked directly at him now.

Muldoon felt as though a fifty-pound weight dropped on his stomach. He knew Nedry was right.

"I wouldn't expect you to believe me after everything I did here. I'm sarcastic, but I'm not stupid…but anyway…I'm sorry for all the bullshit I put everyone through, especially Ray and Dr. Sattler. They're good people."

Muldoon nodded. He had something to apologize for, as well. He didn't know if it would mean anything to Nedry, but it was worth a shot. "I'm sorry for what I said about you getting what you deserved in the cell. The beating…"

Nedry blinked. He knew what Muldoon referred to. "Thank you…you and George are the only ones…" He couldn't finish his statement and Muldoon knew he was touched by the apology.

Suddenly Muldoon had an idea. Where it came from, he didn't know, but he figured he'd try. "Why don't you stay here and help out? You know the park is severely understaffed."

Nedry threw him a puzzled look. He didn't believe his ears had heard right. Muldoon asking him to stay at Jurassic Park was akin to the moon turning green and purple. "I couldn't do that…it wouldn't be right. Besides, if I hang around here, the feds will throw you in jail for harboring a fugitive. I don't want that to happen, and I'm sure no one here does. You're a decent person, Robert. You don't belong in a cage."

"Thanks," Muldoon muttered.

"The park needs you here, not rotting away in a ten by eight. You know it's true. Hell, even _I_ know it's true."

"So then turn yourself in. It's the right thing to do."

"Are you crazy?" Nedry looked horrified. "It's either stay around and help InGen or go back to prison—what kind of choice is that?"

"I'm not saying you want to go back there," Muldoon said, evenly. "I'm saying the right thing to do would be to turn yourself over to the authorities."

Nedry shook his head. "I'm not you—if 'the right thing to do' is to turn myself in, then hell no, I'll do the wrong thing and maintain my freedom. I can't go back there."

"Why?"

"Why would I want to? I'm tired, Robert."

"Tired of what?"

Nedry kept his eyes on the lake. "I'm tired of the system. I won't rehabilitate behind bars. On my own, yes; in a cramped cell, no. I don't want to wake up and have some screwball tell me when I can eat, when I can shower, and when I can breathe. I like making my own choices. "

"So you don't think incarceration is the answer?"

"Take it from me, it's not. For some inmates it is, depending on what they've done. If a man sets his house on fire, killing his entire family for no reason except to collect insurance, then lock 'em up for the rest of his life. It all depends. When I was locked up, most of the inmates I knew weren't sorry for what they've done. Incarceration doesn't equal remorse. Most of them are sorry they got caught, never mind the crime they committed or who it affected."

Muldoon nodded. He remembered Nedry's words at his sentence hearing. _I'm sorry. Sorry I got caught._

"Being locked up just made me more bitter—whatever, I'm not going back."

"They'll search for you all over the country. You're only delaying the inevitable."

"Let them spend money searching for me. I'll delay my capture, fine with me. The more time between now and then, the better." He sat up in the seat and held up his bandaged hand where Harding had redressed the wounds from his half-healed broken fingers. "You see this?"

"I see it."

"The whole time the doctor examined my hand, that corrupt jack-ass Contreras kept the handcuffs on. Even when he removed them so that she could put the splints in place for my fingers, he threw a fit, talking about how I'm a prisoner and have no rights." Nedry hit the steering wheel with his bandaged hand. "Stupid pigs like Contreras think they're better than me even when they're worse. You get beaten for standing your ground and they _still _don't treat you like a human being. I'm tired of being kicked around—all because I made stupid choices in my life. Where are you going to run to when your fingers are broken, your nose is busted, and your eye is swollen shut? And they call that 'corrections'…" He leaned and spat a gob of saliva outside the jeep. "To hell with corrections."

"I'm sure you're not the only one who feels that way." Muldoon wasn't sure what to say; that was the only thing that came to his mind.

"I'm not. If I was telling this to the inmates on my cellblock in upstate California, I'd be preaching to the choir. Then there's people…we know who they are."

"John Hammond?"

"No, not John and not even Henry. I'm talking about Roland Tembo, Sonya Durant, George Baselton, and the granddaddy of them all, Lewis Dodgson. They belong in a ten by eight. Same with Lopez, that stupid jerk. They've committed their share of crimes, they're just lucky they didn't get caught."

Muldoon remained silent as he took this all in.

"I'm doing all the talking. You say something."

"So you're leaving then."

"So?"

"And you're sorry for what you said about Dr. Sattler that night in the cafeteria? When Dodgson was being crude?"

"I'm extremely sorry about that night. I hope she believes me…I tried speaking to her the other day about it...she gave me the cold shoulder…I dunno, I tried. I hate how Dodgson treated her, he's a slimy prick. Believe it or not, I have my boundaries. I have a shred of decency. That's why I apologized to her…or tried to anyway…"

"Why wouldn't she believe you?"

"Because of who I am. People respect you and want you around and people think of me as a selfish slob."

Muldoon switched the subject. "Running makes you look guilty."

"Why are you obsessed with me running from the law? If you feel that deeply about it, then call the cops and have them arrest me right now."

"I could do that. As a matter of fact, I should."

"And it doesn't make me look one way or the other. If anything, no matter where I run, my guilt stays with me…does that make sense?"

Muldoon raised his eyebrows. "It does."

"When did Ray say the boat was leaving?"

"Within the hour."

"Good." Nedry turned the ignition key and the jeep rumbled to life. "I better get going."

Muldoon was silent. He thought of everything that had happened from the moment he and Arnold caught Nedry red-handed at the east dock to this very moment.

"You think you can just pick up your bags and leave." He came around the vehicle and yanked open the door on the driver side, intending to pull Nedry out.

"I didn't say that."

"That's all you think about is _YOU_. You haven't learned a bloody thing!"

"What are you getting pissed off about?" Nedry reached over and slammed the door closed on the driver side. "Damn, if you never believe anything I say, at least believe that I'm sorry the hell I put you and John through. Is that too much to ask for?"

"I don't know."

"Yes, you_ do _know," Nedry insisted. "I know George spoke to you about this. He told me himself."

Muldoon stepped back. He knew Nedry was right. Lawala _had _clarified where Nedry had truly stood when Dodgson gave the Biosyn team the assignment to capture a velociraptor. Awhile ago, Lopez had tried to convince Muldoon that Nedry was all for the assignment and that he had even "jumped on it right away". Muldoon eventually asked Lawala about what had really happened. _Dennis was against it from the beginning and Lopez was in favor of it. He knew you hated the raptors because of what happened to Jophery. _Right after Lawala had told him this, Muldoon knew all he needed to know. The fact that Nedry had remembered and even brought up Jophery's death was telling in itself. Nedry was telling the truth when he had told Muldoon that releasing the raptors was the worst mistake he had ever made. Muldoon was even shocked to find out how Nedry reacted after finding out that Hammond and him were injured. _He was devastated, _Lawala had told him. _He didn't say it, but I could tell that he was. _

With all this in mind, Muldoon knew he had to let go. Let go and try to forgive. He knew he would never forget everything that Nedry had done, but at the very least, he could try to forgive him. _Let it go... _Muldoon had to admit the thought of forgiving Nedry was foreign to him. It never even occurred to him to forgive Nedry for everything he had put InGen through. _He never cared who he hurt,_ Muldoon thought, and he knew he was wrong for thinking that. Nedry cared to _some_ degree, but he still wasn't one to beg for others' forgiveness. Muldoon was well aware of this...and also very much aware that Nedry was still Nedry in the end. _Forgive him...release him from what he did, _Muldoon thought. He briefly wondered if Nedry had forgave _him_ and Arnold for the day they had caught him at the east dock. Muldoon shook his head. He didn't want to ask, nor did he want to know. He supposed Nedry forgave him and Arnold on some level, since he helped InGen defeat Biosyn. At the same time... Muldoon came to realize the idea of Nedry forgiving even himself would forever be a mystery, since he had mentioned that his guilt stays with him. For the time being, he decided to focus on forgiving Nedry. _Let it go, _Muldoon told himself again. _Let it go... _The more he repeated the phrase in his mind, the lighter he felt.

"Would you look at the bright side of things, for once?" Nedry asked, interrupting Muldoon's thoughts on forgiveness. "The raptors are gone. You don't have to stress about them anymore. John is walking again and the park will open one day to the public. I can picture the headlines: Jurassic Park—dinosaur theme park opens its doors to the world!"

"You sound optimistic."

"I am."

Muldoon sighed, exasperated.

"C'mon, John's a determined man. The man's in his seventies and still chases the buck. He does what everyone thinks is impossible. Look, he dreamed the place we're standing on right now. He found a way to bring extinct lizards back to life. That should tell you something."

"You're right." Muldoon cracked his knuckles. He took a step back away from the jeep when a slip of green paper in the passenger side caught his eye. "What's that?" he pointed into the jeep.

"My savings." Nedry patted his backpack.

"That's not your money. Give it back."

"Would you give it a rest? Geez, at this rate, I'll leave here by dawn."

"That's blood money. Dodgson paid you that money every time you caused trouble here."

"Fine. You want it; then here it is. I don't know why you're being so fussy, since you handed it to me weeks ago."

Nedry gave him the backpack and Muldoon snatched it.

"What were you going to do with the money?"

"It doesn't matter now since you have it. I was going to start my life over again."

"Start from scratch."

"I will. Don't worry about me; I got my cash stashed elsewhere." Nedry grinned as he fixed his rearview mirror. He folded the collar of his black trench coat and patted the pockets, making sure the bills he had packed away were still there. "Anything else you want to tell me? Or that you want me to tell you?"

Muldoon shook his head. "I've said everything I had to."

"You sure did! Sheesh, I hope I didn't miss my boat. Would you relax? I'll visit you," Nedry chuckled. "There's no need to shed tears."

"Still sarcastic, I see."

"And you're still uptight. Loosen up and live a little."

Nedry put the jeep in drive and pressed down on the gas pedal. He slowly drove away and was six feet away from Muldoon when he glanced at the rearview mirror. Muldoon stood to the side of the road. He appeared to be in deep thought and didn't want to be disturbed. Nedry sighed and put the jeep in reverse, driving back to where he stood. Muldoon had one hand in his pocket as though he were searching for spare change.

"You got something on your mind," Nedry said. "Spit it out."

Muldoon kept searching inside his pocket until his fingers closed on what he was looking for. He kept his hand hidden from Nedry's view. Then he cautiously stepped up to the jeep. "Do you finally feel free?"

Nedry stared face to face with the man whose testimony had sealed his fate in court over two years ago. Muldoon stared back at him. Nedry thought of the question he had been asked and realized he wondered the same about Muldoon. It wouldn't hurt to answer a question with a question…

"Do you?"

Neither man spoke.

Nedry put the jeep back in drive and drove down the path leading to the maintenance road. He didn't stop once or look behind him as he made a right turn onto the path that would lead him to the east dock.

Muldoon knew he would find the empty gas-powered jeep at the east dock…its inhabitant already making a trip to the mainland—and then to the States. Muldoon watched, never taking his eyes off the jeep. It bothered him that he hadn't been able to answer the question when Nedry reversed it back to him. Yet he knew the truth about what he felt. _How ironic_, he thought. _He gets to leave a free man and I'm still here._ _Then again…I have help. I'm not here by myself anymore._ Muldoon shrugged, frustrated. He didn't know what to think.

He pulled out the business card from his pocket. In tiny black font, a phone number and address were listed, in case he needed assistance in removing criminals from the island. He glanced at the Spanish name on the card: _Antonio Contreras_. It was the same business card Contreras gave him the night he returned to the island with Nedry. Now he stared at the business card wondering what he should do. He knew Contreras was locked up…if he called the police, someone else would come. It wouldn't be Contreras.

"Robert? Is everything okay?"

Muldoon turned around to see Ray Arnold and Gerry Harding behind him. He had been so absorbed in his thoughts that he didn't hear them come from the visitor center.

"You let him leave the park…" Arnold said. He sounded confused, yet curious about Muldoon's decision. "Why?"

Muldoon shrugged again. Perhaps it was better this way. By letting Nedry leave the park, he also let him go. Muldoon knew he had to do it for his own sake. Somehow, he didn't think Arnold would understand or feel the same way. It was okay with Muldoon if Arnold didn't. Forgiving Nedry was his own personal decision, and it was not one that he expected others to do.

Aside from that, Muldoon appreciated Nedry's honesty in why he did what he did, and what he had risked and sacrificed in order to make amends to those he had wronged. Nedry had kept his promise and had set things right again for InGen after all the chaos he had created. Muldoon didn't know what he felt at that moment, but he knew what he had to do. He crumpled the card in his hand and tossed it into the lake. The white card floated briefly and then sank into the dark green water. Muldoon stared at the road that Nedry had driven on.

"Are you alright?" Harding asked again.

After a long moment of silence, Muldoon looked up. "I'm fine."

Arnold glanced in the same direction as Muldoon. "Whose side is he on anyway?" He wondered aloud.

"The side he's always been on," Muldoon said. "His own."

He walked up the steps to the visitor center. Arnold and Harding followed him inside as the sun set on Isla Nublar.

Another day had ended and night would begin soon. The natural order of life on Isla Nublar had prevailed. Life had begun anew and would continue onward. Overhead, the sky lit up in a brilliant and dazzling mix of purple and red splashes, and the island became peaceful and tranquil for both humans and dinosaurs for the first time in Jurassic Park.

* * *

**The End**

* * *

**Acknowledgements**

Wow! I can't believe the time has finally come to completely conclude this story. It's been a long time coming—years, actually. I'm happy it's complete, relieved I was able to finish writing and posting the entire story, and sad because I won't be writing what I loved writing for all these years. It's hard to let go after all this time. Now that the story is over, there are so much to say and so many people to thank.

_Reign of Chaos_ _(ROC)_ was and is truly a labor of love for me. I had written the ideas for it in 1995 when I was 14. They were brief sketches: Nedry releases the raptors to get back at Muldoon, Hammond gets hurt, Nedry and Muldoon hating each other, Nedry deciding to leave Biosyn when Dodgson decides he wants to take over InGen, Nedry thinking it's a good idea to warn InGen although Muldoon doesn't want to hear him out. I didn't expand on the ideas at the time. I had also written my first fanfiction about Jurassic Park earlier that same year. I didn't even know "fanfiction" was the term for the story about a movie I adored. In that story, Muldoon and Arnold catch Nedry in the act of delivering stolen embryos to a man at the east dock. I had also started a second fic about Nedry going to trial as continuation of the first story, but I never finished it. I kept all the fics and scrap paper where I jotted down my ideas.

Then in 2004, my friends and I were in New York City and happened to pass by a vendor selling used books. I had lost my copy of the _Jurassic Park (JP) _novel and hadn't read it or seen the movie in a long time. Although_ JP_ was my passion right after seeing it in theaters when I was 11, I had left it alone for years after writing my first fanfiction. That day, I brought the book for $3 and it reawakened my love for _JP_. I pulled out the ideas I had stashed away, including the first fanfic I had written. I decided I would flesh out my ideas and even rewrite my first fanfic as part of the story—just to see what would happen. I figured it's my story, and I could rework it now if I wanted to. _Reign of Chaos _is the finished product.

Writing _ROC _meant a lot to me for many reasons. Not only did it revive my love of _Jurassic Park_, it also broke my writing block that had lasted almost a year. After graduating college in 2003, I found it very hard to write. When expanding the ideas that I had written years ago, more ideas came. It was like a dam breaking—tons of ideas flooded my mind and I had to write them down to ensure I wouldn't forget them. I learned so much about writing, such as never throwing out anything you write. Even if what you first wrote wasn't that great, be it because you lacked experience, maturity, or anything—you can always rewrite it. You can always recycle what you have written and use it for other projects. Sometimes what you rewrite is far better than the original idea.

I also wrote a large part of _ROC_ during 2004-2005. At that time, I was severely stressed out due to a job I worked at. Although I enjoyed working with the clientele (troubled youth), the management was very abusive. I was learning to separate the job from my personal life, which was very difficult back then. When I wrote the chapters, even if it was just the ideas, I could completely enter the world of_ JP_ and forget about the job stress. In fact, the idea of Dodgson rejecting Nedry's resignation was inspired from this job. A worker had attempted to resign and her letter of resignation had been rejected. Later on, I would experience the same situation. (I did resign regardless of what the boss said.) Other parts were personal. On this job, I learned what it felt like to be overworked and underappreciated. I realized why Dennis Nedry became disgruntled and how terrible it felt. Even the part where Arnold tells off Gennaro—I had wanted to say those exact words to a horrible supervisor: "why are you talking to me after treating me like crap?" I wasn't able to say those words to the supervisor, so I let Arnold say it. After that particular work experience, I never wanted to experience being a disgruntled employee again. So some parts of _ROC_ were personal for me.

I've always loved _JP_ for the characters. The dinosaurs were great, but the characters have always been the true treasure for me. I wanted to write a story that was centered on the characters, especially the minor characters—particularly the InGen staff. I've always favored Dennis Nedry and when writing this story, I wondered if the story's focus on him (and also Muldoon and Arnold, etc) would turn away potential readers. In the end, I decided not to worry about that, and write what I wished and stay true to my vision. Although I found other characters difficult to write (mainly Grant and Ellie), it is my hope that I gave them justice in this story. Plus, I've always wanted to see a love triangle with them and Malcolm, so I interweaved into the story as well. Lewis Dodgson…labeling him a "sociopath" is one thing. In time, I learned what it's like to actually experience an encounter with a sociopath and I will never forget it. Even the comic book characters, such as Lawala, Lopez, and Sonya—I put my own twist on them. My intention from the beginning was to show the relationships between the characters. Although_ JP_ is well-known for its groundbreaking special effects, it is the depth of the characters, their relationships, and interactions that have always stood out to me.

It goes without saying that I'm appreciative to Michael Crichton, Steven Spielberg, and the entire cast and crew of Jurassic Park—all three movies, although I tend to favor the first one the most. The second movie is okay to me and I don't care much for the third. Even so, I'm glad that these stories are out there for myself and others to enjoy. They truly put together one of my most memorable cinematic and reading experiences.

Inspiration can come from any source. For this story, _ROC _was inspired by the first two_ JP_ movies and a handful of characters from the third movie, "Set It Off", "Kill Bill Volumes I and II", an authority figure/character from both novels: Les Miserables by Victor Hugo and "Fall Into Darkness" by Christopher Pike, comic books, WWE (wrestling), music from various sources, and so much more.

I want to take the time to acknowledge and thank family and friends who really made this writing possible. A writer is not an island—you don't write in isolation. A second pair of eyes reading your story can point out what works—and what doesn't work. Another writer can make suggestions that tighten the story, bringing it altogether, or even add another layer of depth. Some people on my thank you list may never read this story, but either way, they all played a part in making this story possible. I'm truly grateful for everyone mentioned below, and apologize in advance for anyone I might've forgotten. My special thank you's go to…

_**God **_– I want to thank God for giving me the joy of writing. Thank you, God, that I was able to start and finish my story, as well as completely post it in its entirety. Because the story was so long, I worried at times about what I would do if I couldn't completely post it. I'm very grateful that I have finally reached the end and especially grateful for the joy I received when writing this story. Thank you, God, for this awesome gift of writing, and also being able to share the story with others who can enjoy it.

_**Michael Crichton **_– Thank you for writing such an amazing story with a thoughtful storyline and characters that I loved reading and writing about. I saw the movie before I read your book, but I was so thrilled to find out there was a novel behind the awesome movie I had seen. Finding an actual dinosaur named in your honor was the best way to pay tribute to you and to thank you for writing _Jurassic Park_.

_**Mom**_ – Thank you for encouraging me. When I was little and loved to read books, you once said to me, "you'll be an author one day." You spoke a wonderful possibility into my life and now I'm a writer.

_**Qwynn**_ – Thank you for telling me about _Jurassic Park_ when we were kids. Little did I know that JP would become one of my favorite passions! I know I drove you up the wall with my _JP_ ramblings, and I hope you can laugh at that now.

_**Godmommy Vivian**_ – Thank you for taking me to see _Jurassic Park_ in the movies. Seeing_ JP_ on the big screen was scary (well, for me, it was) and funny for you. I will always remember and cherish that experience.

_**Kimberly**_ – Thank you for reading my very first fanfiction and for your constructive feedback. I still remember walking to junior high school (now called "middle school") while you read it and shared with me your thoughts about the story.

_**Tiara **_– Thank you for all your encouragement, especially when I doubted myself at certain parts when writing _ROC_. Thank you for your suggestion of a second mole/traitor—I was able to take that idea and expand on it so that it tied in with the original story. I credit you for coming up with the idea of a second traitor. Thanks for your help on a particular Ellie/Grant scene that I had difficulty with. Your suggestions were very helpful.

_**Erin **_– Thank you for your support when writing this story. You love minor characters just as I do, and we always have a great time discussing our writing ideas. I know it's been years, but our early emails where we shared our thoughts about our stories was very helpful. You also helped me to see Grant differently, although he's not one of my personal favorites. Thank you for believing in my story.

_**Adrienne **_– Thank you for taking the time to read, beta, and edit some _ROC_ chapters for me. Thank you for your sense of humor and helping me with sentence structure. You know I tend to write "he did this…" and "he did that…". You pointed out what worked and didn't work in the story—thank you for giving your time to my writing. (And yes, I had dinosaurs in my dinosaur story, just as I planned!)

_**Steve **_– Thank you for asking me questions that forced me to think about what I was writing. You pointed out I was writing about JP characters that had died in the book and film canon, and had asked me when does this story take place? I knew _ROC_ would be Alternate Universe (AU), but your thoughts helped me to form the idea of having this story take place as if Nedry had succeeded in stealing and dropping off they embryos.

_**David **_– Thank you for always listening to me ramble with love about writing and fanfiction. Thank you for showing me Kill Bill on the night that I wanted to be alone writing _ROC._

_**Dana **_– Thank you for joking with me about how I must go back to finishing my other fanfiction when I finally get done with _ROC_. Thank you for understanding my love of writing fanfiction.

_**Tanisha**_ – Thank you for encouraging me to finish R_OC_, especially when I got stuck at several moments. I'll always remember when I came to your house and told you I finally finished the story, you ran around my car with my Kill Bill poster. Now that I finished _ROC_, I had earned my poster!

_**Danny (Mr. W.)**_ – Thank you for understanding and not taking it personal the day I chose to stay home and work on "The Inmates Take Over the Asylum" chapter. I was able to finish writing that chapter and I thank you for that.

Finally, thank you to _**all the readers and reviewers**_. Thank you so much for taking the time to read my story. This story is very lengthy and detailed, and it took a long time—6 years—to completely post it. Thank you for your patience and for staying with the story, even when it would take months to update it. It truly means a lot to me. I sincerely hope that the time you spent reading my story was time well spent and worthwhile for all of you. I also appreciate those who took the time to leave a review or message me. I greatly value your feedback. Whenever I write, I like to know what worked and didn't work, what stood out to the readers, the readers' reactions—I value all of this. (The marriage proposals were great too; they made me smile.) I also welcome constructive criticism and suggestions. Sometimes when I write, I become blind to certain things because I know what I want to show in my story. However, readers' thoughts are incredibly thought-provoking, especially if I neglected to explain certain things adequately or if other parts the story can be explored—provided it doesn't take me completely from the story I wanted to tell. Just as it meant so much for me to write this story, it really brightens my day to know that readers greatly enjoyed reading it. It is a huge compliment to know this story meant as much to the readers as it did to the writer.

In closing, I hope to write and finish more Jurassic Park fanfiction. Working on _Reign of Chaos_ has been an incredible emotional journey. Thank you, everyone, for making it superb and memorable. God bless!

**-Sassy Lil Scorpio**

_Written: 1995/May 2004-August 2007  
Posted: March 2006-March 2012_


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